Mood & Mental Health

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Study

Psilocybin Keeps Emotional Responses to Music That SSRIs Dull

Psilocybin Keeps Emotional Responses to Music That SSRIs Dull

Psilocybin mushrooms

What they found

In 59 people with depression, escitalopram dulled emotional reactions to music while psilocybin preserved or enhanced them.

In 59 people with depression, escitalopram dulled emotional reactions to music while psilocybin preserved or enhanced them.

How solid is it?

Early human

Early human

Evidence ladder: Lab dish → Animal → Early human → Strong human. Reviews summarize earlier research.

At a glance

Latin name

Compound

psilocybin, escitalopram

psilocybin, escitalopram

Sample size

59 people

59 people

Published in

Molecular Psychiatry

Molecular Psychiatry

Covered in Shroom Scan

Section

PSILOCYBIN & LEGISLATION

PSILOCYBIN & LEGISLATION

As it ran in Shroom Scan

Psilocybin vs. SSRIs

Psilocybin vs. SSRIs

In a study of 59 people with depression, psilocybin and the SSRI escitalopram affected how the brain responds to music in very different ways. Escitalopram dulled emotional reactions to musical “surprises,” while psilocybin preserved or enhanced them. Brain scans showed psilocybin reduced prefrontal control and boosted sensory activity, supporting a more emotionally open experience.

In a study of 59 people with depression, psilocybin and the SSRI escitalopram affected how the brain responds to music in very different ways. Escitalopram dulled emotional reactions to musical “surprises,” while psilocybin preserved or enhanced them. Brain scans showed psilocybin reduced prefrontal control and boosted sensory activity, supporting a more emotionally open experience.

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