Psilocybin for the Treatment of Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Brief Summary

The primary aim of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of psilocybin-assisted therapy in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder in United States military Veterans.

Intervention / Treatment

  • Psilocybin (DRUG)
    Participants will receive 15 mg of oral psilocybin in the first session and 25 mg in the second session.

Condition or Disease

  • PTSD
  • Stress Disorders, Traumatic
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
  • Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders
  • Mental Disorder

Phase

  • Phase 2
  • Study Design

    Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
    Status: Recruiting
    Study results: No Results Available
    Age: 21 Years to 64 Years
    Enrollment: 15 (ESTIMATED)
    Allocation: N/A
    Primary Purpose: Treatment

    Masking

    Clinical Trial Dates

    Start date: Jan 01, 2023 ACTUAL
    Primary Completion: Jan 31, 2024 ESTIMATED
    Completion Date: Jan 31, 2025 ESTIMATED
    Study First Posted: Sep 26, 2022 ACTUAL
    Last Updated: Mar 28, 2023

    Sponsors / Collaborators

    Lead Sponsor: Ohio State University
    Responsible Party: N/A

    The objective of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of psilocybin assisted psychotherapy in the treatment of Veterans with PTSD.

    This study will recruit 15 United States Military Veterans, age 21 to 64, primarily from the Columbus and Central Ohio Region who meet the criteria for PTSD. After enrollment and informed consent, participants will receive two separate doses of psilocybin in conjunction with preparatory and post-psilocybin therapy sessions. Each psilocybin session will last approximately 8 hours and will be facilitated by two trained session facilitators. Before the first psilocybin session, participants will meet with one or both of the session facilitators for a total of 6-8 hours of contact time (or up to 4 meetings) before the first psilocybin session day. Two post psilocybin therapy session visits will follow Psilocybin Sessions 1 and 2. Psilocybin Sessions 1 and 2 will occur about two weeks apart. Follow-up visits will occur 1 and 2 weeks and 1, 3, and 6 months after the final psilocybin session, with additional contact hours scheduled as needed. Thus, the intervention and follow-up requires at least 13 visits over a period of about 8-10 months.

    Participant Groups

    • Participants will receive two doses of psilocybin, approximately 2 weeks apart, in conjunction with preparatory and post-psilocybin therapy sessions

    Eligibility Criteria

    Sex: All
    Minimum Age: 21
    Maximum Age: 64
    Age Groups: Adult
    Healthy Volunteers: Yes

    In order to be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet all of the following criteria:

    * A US military Veteran
    * 21 to 64 years old
    * Have at least a high-school level of education or equivalent.
    * Have a current DSM-5 diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
    * Have a CAPS-5 total severity score of ≥35 at baseline
    * No antidepressant medications prior to enrollment
    * Be judged by study team clinicians to be at low risk for suicidality
    * Be medically stable
    * Have limited lifetime use of hallucinogens

    General medical exclusion criteria:

    * Women who are pregnant
    * Cardiovascular conditions
    * Epilepsy with history of seizures
    * Insulin-dependent diabetes
    * Currently taking psychoactive prescription medication
    * Currently taking on a regular (e.g., daily) basis any medications having a primary centrally-acting serotonergic effect, including Monoamine oxidase inhibitors..

    More than 25% outside the upper or lower range of ideal body weight

    Psychiatric Exclusion Criteria:

    * Current or past history of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders or Bipolar I or II Disorder
    * Current or history within one year of a moderate or severe alcohol, tobacco, or other drug use disorder
    * Have a first or second-degree relative with schizophrenia spectrum or other psychotic disorders or Bipolar I or II Disorder
    * Has a psychiatric condition which precludes the establishment of therapeutic rapport
    * History of a medically significant suicide attempt
    * Current antidepressant use

    This clinical trial is recruiting

    Are you interested in participating in this trial or others? We'd love to help.

    Primary Outcomes
    • The primary clinician/session facilitator for each participant will identify/record adverse effects (i.e. the emergence of any untoward physical or psychological events or symptoms) and safety concerns at each study visit. The type, severity, and frequency of adverse events will be collected in order to identify and characterize any safety concerns that may arise. Relationship to study drug will also be reported

    • The C-SSRS is divided into four subscales based on 1) severity of ideation 2) intensity of ideation 3) suicidal behavior, and 4) lethality of attempt. Severity of ideation scores will be assessed for significant changes from baseline to primary endpoint. Proportion of participants meeting criteria for low, medium, and high risk will be reported.

    Secondary Outcomes
    • The CAPS-5 is a 30-item structured-interview that assesses PTSD diagnostic status and symptom severity. It is scored on a scale of 0-80 with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity.

    • The PCL-5 is one of the most widely used self-report measures of PTSD with scores ranging from 0 to 80 and higher scores indicating greater PTSD symptom severity.

    More Details

    NCT Number: NCT05554094
    Other IDs: 2022H0280
    Study URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05554094
    Last updated: Sep 29, 2023