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Twenty healthy adults (≥21 years old) will be enrolled to evaluate the efficacy of a single oral dose of psilocybin (25 mg) administered with or without pretreatment using oral pimavanserin (34 mg) or placebo. Outcome assessments will occur at 1 week and 1 month following psilocybin administration.
The purpose of this study is to clarify the receptor-level mechanisms underlying psilocybin's effects on mood and well-being, along with the associated neurophysiologic signatures. These mechanisms will be examined using psychometric scales, autonomic and fMRI-based neurophysiologic markers, and integrated pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psilocybin + Pimavanserin | Experimental | Two oral pretreatment doses of pimavanserin (34 mg each) followed by a single oral dose of psilocybin (25 mg) |
|
| Psilocybin + Placebo | Placebo Comparator | Two oral pretreatment doses of inactive placebo followed by a single oral dose of psilocybin (25 mg) |
|
| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psilocybin | Drug | Psilocybin, 25 mg, oral, single dose |
|
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Persisting Effects Questionnaire (PEQ) score | Persisting effects will be assessed using the single item well-being item from the Persisting Effects Questionnaire (PEQ) at 1-week (primary inferential contrast) and 1-month post-dosing. The PEQ is an instrument designed to measure participants' retrospective attributions regarding the longer-term impact of the psilocybin experience, including effects on mood, behavior, and overall well-being. The item is rated on a 7-point Likert scale (-3 = decreased very much; -2 = decreased moderately; -1 = decreased slightly; 0 = no change; 1 = increased slightly; 2 = increased moderately; 3 = increased very much). Score range -3 to 3. | Day 7, Day 30 |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Amygdala Response to Stimuli in the Emotion Recognition Test | Blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) percent signal change in response to stimuli in the emotion recognition task will be measured in the left and right amygdala. | Day -1 (baseline), Day 7, Day 30 |
| Pharmacokinetics (PK) of Psilocybin metabolites |
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Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
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| Name | Role | Phone | Extension | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arozo Azimi | Contact | 410-550-0007 | aazimi2@jh.edu | |
| Mazen A. Atiq, MD | Contact | matiq3@jh.edu |
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| David B. Yaden, PhD | Johns Hopkins University | Principal Investigator |
| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research | Baltimore | Maryland | 21224 | United States |
| PubMed Identifier | Type | Citation | Retractions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32042038 | Background | Barrett FS, Doss MK, Sepeda ND, Pekar JJ, Griffiths RR. Emotions and brain function are altered up to one month after a single high dose of psilocybin. Sci Rep. 2020 Feb 10;10(1):2214. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-59282-y. | |
| 38743110 | Background | Atiq MA, Baker MR, Voort JLV, Vargas MV, Choi DS. Disentangling the acute subjective effects of classic psychedelics from their enduring therapeutic properties. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2025 Jul;242(7):1481-1506. doi: 10.1007/s00213-024-06599-5. Epub 2024 May 14. |
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D011562 | Psilocybin |
| C510793 | pimavanserin |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D026121 | Indole Alkaloids |
| D000470 | Alkaloids |
| D006571 | Heterocyclic Compounds |
| D007211 | Indoles |
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| Pimavanserin | Drug | Pimavanserin, 34 mg, oral, two doses |
|
|
| Inactive Placebo | Drug | Inactive placebo, oral, two doses |
|
PK parameter (AUC 0-6h) for unconjugated psilocin in plasma. |
| 0-6 hours |
| 33861219 | Background | Yaden DB, Griffiths RR. The Subjective Effects of Psychedelics Are Necessary for Their Enduring Therapeutic Effects. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci. 2020 Dec 10;4(2):568-572. doi: 10.1021/acsptsci.0c00194. eCollection 2021 Apr 9. |
| D006574 |
| Heterocyclic Compounds, 2-Ring |
| D000072471 | Heterocyclic Compounds, Fused-Ring |
| D014363 | Tryptamines |
| D054836 | Indolizidines |
| D007212 | Indolizines |