Psilocybin combined with talk therapy shows potential for treating anorexia nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is notoriously difficult to treat, often resisting standard care. Now, a new pilot study suggests that psilocybin therapy, paired with psychological support, could safely help reduce eating disorder symptoms and boost the motivation to recover.
A pilot study has shown promising results in treating anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder with a high mortality rate and often resistant to conventional treatments. Researchers at the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London conducted the study, which was published in The British Journal of Psychiatry. Anorexia nervosa is characterized by severe food restriction, intense fear of weight gain, and distorted body image perception.
The study involved 21 adult women with a diagnosis of anorexia for at least three years, whose average age was 32, and average Body Mass Index (BMI) of 16.4. This low BMI is considered unhealthy, with a healthy range between 18.5 and 25.
The treatment combined a single 1-milligram dose of psilocybin, a compound found in "magic mushrooms" that induces altered states of consciousness, with extensive talk therapy over a six-week period. Participants were not aware of the order in which they received the psilocybin doses, which were spaced two weeks apart. The doses were integrated with comprehensive preparation and integration therapy sessions.
The researchers monitored participants' safety, physical health, and psychological symptoms, including eating disorder severity, for up to a year after the final session. The Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) interview and the Readiness and Motivation Questionnaire (RMQ) were used to assess progress. The study found that psilocybin therapy led to significant reductions in eating disorder symptoms, with an average decrease of 1.08 points in the global EDE score from a baseline of 3.2.
This reduction represents a substantial improvement relative to the initial score. At the six-month follow-up, participants maintained their progress, with an average 0.98-point reduction in EDE scores. Additionally, almost half of the participants achieved symptom scores within the range of a normal community without an eating disorder, three months after the last session. The most common side effects were mild to moderate, including headaches and nausea.
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