# Characterization and prediction of acute and sustained response to psychedelic psilocybin in a mindfulness group retreat

Article · Smigielski L, Kometer M, Scheidegger M, Krähenmann R, Huber T, Vollenweider FX

- Archive id: doi:10.1038/s41598-019-50612-3
- Published: 2019-10-24
- Venue: Scientific reports
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-50612-3
- PMID: 31649304
- PMCID: PMC6813317
- Citations: 108
- Source URL: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-50612-3
- PDF: https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC6813317/pdf
- Provenance: europepmc

## Abstract

Meditation and psychedelics have played key roles in humankind's search for self-transcendence and personal change. However, neither their possible synergistic effects, nor related state and trait predictors have been experimentally studied. To elucidate these issues, we administered double-blind the model psychedelic drug psilocybin (315 μg/kg PO) or placebo to meditators (n = 39) during a 5-day mindfulness group retreat. Psilocybin increased meditation depth and incidence of positively experienced self-dissolution along the perception-hallucination continuum, without concomitant anxiety. Openness, optimism, and emotional reappraisal were predictors of the acute response. Compared with placebo, psilocybin enhanced post-intervention mindfulness and produced larger positive changes in psychosocial functioning at a 4-month follow-up, which were corroborated by external ratings, and associated with magnitude of acute self-dissolution experience. Meditation seems to enhance psilocybin's positive effects while counteracting possible dysphoric responses. These findings highlight the interactions between non-pharmacological and pharmacological factors, and the role of emotion/attention regulation in shaping the experiential quality of psychedelic states, as well as the experience of selflessness as a modulator of behavior and attitudes. A better comprehension of mechanisms underlying most beneficial psychedelic experiences may guide therapeutic interventions across numerous mental conditions in the form of psychedelic-assisted applications.

_Abstract reproduced under CC-BY (article license as recorded by Europe PMC; abstract reproduced unmodified apart from markup removal)._

Topics: [Novel Psychiatric Therapeutics](https://space-kitty.com/topics/psychiatric-therapeutics)

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