Magic mushrooms put most veterans’ PTSD into remission, according to breakthrough study

Magic mushrooms put most veterans’ PTSD into remission, according to breakthrough study Military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder who got no relief from conventional treatments went into remission following treatment with psilocybin - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments A pilot study has found that most military veterans with severe, treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder went into remission after receiving therapy with psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms. The study, published in Communications Medicine, is the first formal trial of psilocybin therapy in veterans with PTSD. Researchers at The Ohio State University found that nine of the 12 veterans no longer met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD one month after treatment. "For a population with severe treatment-resistant PTSD, these results are striking," study co-author Stacey Armstrong said. The 11-week trial combined psychotherapy with two doses of synthetic psilocybin followed by integration therapy. Researchers said the most common side effect was a mild headache. Lead researcher Alan Davis cautioned that the study was designed to assess safety rather than prove the treatment works, but said the results strongly support larger clinical trials. Of the three veterans who did not achieve remission, two showed some improvement while one experienced little change. The findings come as the Trump administration pushes to expand research into psychedelic medicines. In April, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal health agencies to speed up reviews of psychedelic therapies and increase funding for research into their medical use. The Food and Drug Administration has since launched an expedited review process for several psychedelic-based treatments, including psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression and a drug related to MDMA for PTSD. Psilocybin remains a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law, meaning it is considered to have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. However, interest in psychedelic medicine has grown among some of Trump's allies, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has backed expanding access to the treatments for hard-to-treat mental health conditions. Researchers plan to continue monitoring participants for up to six months and hope to secure funding for a larger randomized clinical trial. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments