Vail Health Launches Study Investigating How to Expand Antidepressant Effects of Psilocybin
Psilocybin, the active psychedelic ingredient in magic mushrooms, has been proven to impact patients with depression positively. Vail Health’s OPTIMIZE study, which will administer doses of psilocybin to all 140 participants, aims to investigate how to predict and enhance this effect.
“In our (psilocybin) studies, only half the people that get a high dose are really feeling completely fine six weeks later,” said Charles Raison, director of Vail Health’s Behavioral Health Innovation Center. “We want to try to see, can we get 70 percent of people there, 80 percent of people?”
The OPTIMIZE study is unique for several reasons. All participants receive the same strong dose of psilocybin in a clinical setting. All participants also participate in two types of real-life monitoring before and after they are dosed to examine their behavioral changes.
“It’s really a lot of novel interventions smashed into one mega trial. It’s definitely more complex than the average clinical trial, but I think it will be a really interesting study, for both participants and for the scientific community,” said Chloe Sorensen, a clinical research supervisor at the Vail Health Behavioral Health Innovation Center.
OPTIMIZE Study is Enrolling Participants
The OPTIMIZE study is currently enrolling participants from Eagle County, surrounding counties and the Front Range. The study, which will run for an estimated three to five years, will collect data from 140 participants.
The study enrolled its first participant last week. The first dosing is slated for July. Participants must be medically healthy adults ages 18-70 who struggle with clinical depression. Applicants can currently be taking an antidepressant, but will only be enrolled in the trial if it is ineffective, and the participant will not receive psilocybin until they have been weaned off the antidepressant. More information about qualifying for and applying to participate in the study can be found at VailHealthBH.org/Optimize.
