Toronto's CAMH gets 1st federal grant to study magic mushrooms as treatment for depression
CBC
Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) says it has received the first-ever federal grant to study whether the active component in 'magic' mushrooms can be used to treat depression without the psychedelic effects.
Psilocybin is the chemical compound in magic mushrooms that induces a so-called 'trip.' Researchers at CAMH are going to explore if those psychoactive effects are necessary for the compound to alleviate treatment-resistant depression in adults.
"There has been a growing interest and body of knowledge regarding the use of psychedelic drugs for the treatment of mental illness and addictions," said Dr. Ishrat Husain, lead investigator of the upcoming study, in a news release.
Husain noted that clinical trials suggest psilocybin, combined with intensive psychotherapy, can produce "sustained antidepressant effects" in those living with severe depression.
One issue, though, is that because it comes with psychoactive side effects, users need "time intensive and costly" support during the treatment, Husain said. But if the researchers at CAMH find psilocybin can still help people suffering from depression without the "trip," then it would make the treatment far more practical.
The study will include 60 adults who have been living with depression for at least three years and haven't responded to alternative forms of treatment. A random third of those participants will get a full dose of psilocybin plus a blocker that will stop the drug's psychedelic effects. Another 20 will get psilocybin and a placebo, while the third group will be given a placebo and the blocker.
All of the participants will also receive 12 hours of psychotherapy "as per current practice in psychedelic research," the news release said.
The hope is the research will serve as a foundation for further clinical exploration of psilocybin as a treatment for depression without the need for psychotherapy.
CAMH's study is being funded by the Canadian Institute for Health Research. The grant was awarded in June and, according to the hospital, is the first time the federal government has provided money for a study of this type.
It comes amid a growing wave of interest globally in potentially using psychedelics like psilocybin, ketamine, MDMA (the active ingredient in ecstasy) and LSD to treat mental illnesses, as well as a host of other medical conditions.
In its news release, CAMH stressed the need for well-designed clinical trials in pushing this kind of research forward, as approvals from federal authorities in Canada have so far been been limited.
In 2020, Health Canada granted permission to 16 health professionals to use psilocybin themselves to help develop therapies for future use.
Earlier this year, though, the federal health minister rejected applications for more than 100 health-care practitioners — including doctors, psychologists, clinical counsellors, social workers and nurses — to use psychedelic drugs as part of psychotherapy treatments.
Meanwhile, Health Canada suspended a study into MDMA-assisted psychotherapy this summer over patient safety concerns.
From the Detroit Lions losing to Apple iPhones that spontaneously update, Windsorites had things that bugged them this year.
Calgary emergency rooms are “in a state of critical overcapacity” ahead of the anticipated peak of flu season — and to cope with the surge and wait-room crowding, officials are urging doctors to speed up their decisions on whether to admit patients, according to a memo obtained by CBC News.
Northern Ontario's highway system needs improvements in order to make travel safer, a highway safety advocate said.
Hundreds of thousands of used tires are piling up across Ontario as some companies responsible for tire recycling have stopped processing tires amid reduced provincial recycling regulations for tire producers, industry experts say.
People in Guelph facing homelessness will soon have a new place to go during the day.
Islanders are reminded to plan their rides ahead of holiday festivities if they plan on drinking alcohol or using cannabis.
Even before Gwen Healey Akearok began her new role as Nunavut’s Minister of Family Services, she was tuning into the Office of the Auditor General’s (OAG) hearings on the state of the Family Services department.
The racial reckoning of the COVID era saw Canada grapple with its checkered past — a process that led to statues of some foundational figures being removed, in some instances by force.
Holiday traditions are front and centre for many people at this time of year. But one Uxbridge family's Christmas tradition goes above and beyond the standard Christmas carols or holiday party.
A pedestrian is dead, and police are investigating following a collision in a north London parking lot on Tuesday afternoon.
Police have lifted a shelter-in-place order for parts of St. John's.
Nova Scotia Power is providing more information about the cyberattack on the utility earlier this year and its response in the months that followed.
A rare old-growth forest in Quebec’s Mauricie region is at the centre of a growing conflict between conservation advocates and the provincial government, after forestry roadwork was authorized in an area currently under review for protected status.