RecruitingPhase 2

The Efficacy of Psilocybin Therapy for Depression in Parkinson's Disease

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
40 Years to 80 Years
Sex
All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Not accepted
Compensation
Not stated

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

Not stated in the study description — ask the study team about visits and procedures.

Compensation
Not stated
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

In plain language

This study tests whether psilocybin therapy can improve symptoms in people with Parkinson’s disease and depression. It is for people with certain stages of Parkinson’s disease and at least moderate depression.

The purpose of this study is to understand whether people with Parkinson's Disease and depression have improvement in their symptoms after psilocybin therapy.

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Who can join

  • Understand the study, agree to join, and feel comfortable speaking and writing in English.
  • Have Parkinson’s disease with no known cause, diagnosed by a nerve specialist. It must be stage 1 to 3 while treatment is working.
  • Have no planned medicine changes or major surgery during treatment.
  • Score at least 20 on the study’s depression survey, showing moderate or worse depression.
  • Have a doctor who manages your care and can talk with the study doctor.
  • If you can become pregnant, use approved birth control through 4 weeks after the second psilocybin session and do not breastfeed.
  • Follow study rules for pausing certain medicines, supplements, sleep aids, and opioid pain medicines before and after sessions.
  • Avoid tobacco, nicotine, and non-prescribed drugs as required. Follow rules for avoiding cannabis products and alcohol around sessions, and keep your usual morning caffeine amount.

Who can't join

  • Have another form of Parkinson-like illness, a thinking and memory test score below 24, or symptoms from blood pressure dropping when you stand.
  • Are pregnant, breastfeeding, or plan to become pregnant within 3 months of joining.
  • Need urgent mental health care, have a high risk of suicide, or made a serious suicide attempt in the past year.
  • Have bipolar disorder or certain conditions involving loss of touch with reality. Certain histories of schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder in a parent, sibling, or child also rule you out.
  • Have a current or recent moderate or severe alcohol or drug use disorder, lasting changes in perception after hallucinogen use, or certain psychedelic use in the past 6 months.
  • Have certain serious brain, seizure, kidney, liver, hormone, heart, or blood pressure problems; need extra oxygen; or are allergic to ingredients in the study drug.
  • Are receiving electrical brain treatment (ECT) or magnetic brain treatment (TMS), or had either within 30 days. Recent treatment in another trial or with an experimental treatment may also rule you out.
  • Cannot or will not pause medicines or supplements that may interact with psilocybin for the required time.

Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Able to understand and provide informed consent * Comfortable speaking and writing in English * Have neurologist-diagnosed idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD), Hoehn and Yahr stages 1 to 3 during an "on" phase (time when medication/DBS for parkinsonian motor feature, including bradykinesia and rigidity is in effect) * Have no changes in medication or major surgical procedures anticipated for treatment duration * Have a score \>/=20 on the Beck Depression Inventory-2 (BDI-2), consistent with moderate or greater depressive symptom severity, at Baseline. * For people who can become pregnant: agree to use highly effective contraception from entry into the trial through Day B30 assessments (4 weeks after the second psilocybin administration session) and agree to not breastfeed. Acceptable methods of contraception are: An intrauterine device (IUD), hormone-based contraceptives (birth control pills) , condoms (internal or external) must be used with another method (other than spermicide), and complete abstinence from sexual activity that could result in pregnancy. * Agree that for one week preceding each psilocybin session, they will refrain from taking any nonprescription medication, nutritional supplement, or herbal supplement except when approved by the research team. Exceptions will be evaluated by the research team and assessed for safety. Agree to abstain from all tobacco and nicotine use for the duration of the study. * Agree to consume approximately the same amount of caffeine-containing beverages that they usually consume before arriving at the research unit on the mornings of psilocybin administration sessions. * Agree to avoid sedative-hypnotic medications (e.g., benzodiazepines, zolpidem, zopiclone, zaleplon) taken on an as-needed basis for a minimum of 5 half-lives prior to each psilocybin administration session and for 24 hours after each psilocybin administration session. * Agree to avoid opioid medications taken on an as-needed basis for a minimum of 5 half-lives prior to each psilocybin administration session and for 24 hours after each psilocybin administration session. * Agree not to use products or substances containing Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and/or cannabidiol for at least 7 days prior to each psilocybin administration session and for 24 hours after each psilocybin administration session. * Agree to not use non-prescribed narcotics (eg. heroine, fentanyl), depressants (eg. Barbiturates, benzodiazepines) and/or inhalants for the duration of participation in the trial. * Agree not to consume alcoholic beverages for at least 24 hours prior to and 24 hours following each psilocybin administration session. * Have a primary care provider, neurologist, or psychiatrist who is actively managing or coordinating care and is available for consultation with the study medical monitor. Exclusion Criteria: * Any indication of forms of parkinsonism other than idiopathic Parkinson's disease. * Cognitive impairment, defined as a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score \<24. * Symptomatic orthostatic hypotension. * Currently receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or treatment via transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Previous treatment with ECT and/or TMS is permitted; last treatment must be at least 30 days prior to entry into this trial. * Treatment in a clinical trial within 30 days of entry into this trial or treatment with another investigational drug or other intervention within 30 days or 5 half-lives, whichever is longer, prior to entry into this trial. * Pregnancy as indicated by a positive urine pregnancy test during screening, lactation, or the intention of becoming pregnant within 3 months of entry into this trial. * Current severity of psychiatric symptoms warranting immediate treatment as determined by the study medical staff (e.g. due to inability to provide for basic needs/safety). The study medical staff will assess these individuals, determine the appropriate level of care, and coordinate with the individual's primary providers to ensure close follow-up. * High risk of self-harm/suicide, as determined by the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) risk screen, specifically: participant answers "yes" to item 4 or 5 suggesting intent to act on suicidal thoughts OR participant has made a serious suicide attempt within the 12 months prior to entry into this trial. * History of meeting DSM-5 criteria for a schizophrenia spectrum disorder, other psychotic disorder, or a mood disorder with psychotic features. * History of delusional symptoms or any other psychotic symptoms accompanied by a loss of insight. Exceptions may be made at the investigators' discretion in cases of a history of psychotic symptoms that were attributable to substance or medication use. * Current delusional symptoms or any other psychotic symptoms accompanied by a loss of insight. * History of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder in a first-degree relative. * History of bipolar disorder 1 in a first-degree relative, in whom illness onset was prior to age 40. * Current or history of meeting DSM-5 criteria for a bipolar disorder. * Current or history within the last 2 years of meeting DSM-5 criteria for a moderate or severe alcohol or drug use disorder, excluding caffeine. * Currently meeting DSM-5 criteria for another psychiatric condition judged to be incompatible with establishment of rapport or safe exposure to psilocybin treatment procedures as determined by the investigators. * History of meeting DSM-5 criteria for Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD). * History of using any psychedelic substances including psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), mescaline (and natural products containing mescaline including peyote and San Pedro cactus), N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), natural products containing DMT including ayahuasca and 5-Methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT), ibogaine, 2C compounds, 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA), or methylone during the past 6 months at dosages and/or frequencies determined clinically significant by the investigators. * Cancer with known central nervous system (CNS) involvement, CNS infection, or other major CNS disease aside from PD. * Epilepsy or other seizure disorder in adulthood. * Supplemental oxygen requirement. * Allergy or intolerance to any of the materials contained in the drug products. * Renal insufficiency defined as creatinine clearance \< 40 ml/min using Cockraft and Gault equation * Insufficiently managed endocrine conditions, including diabetes mellitus and clinically significant thyroid dysfunction. * Cardiovascular conditions, including: * Elevated blood pressure defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) \>150 or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) \>95 taken during Enrollment * Tachycardia defined as heart rate (HR) \>90 beats per minute taken during Enrollment * Bradycardia defined as HR \<50 bpm taken during Enrollment * Angina * History of stroke within the past year * Clinically significant ECG abnormality as determined by the investigators, including but not limited to QTc \> 450 * Hepatic dysfunction as indicated by any of the following laboratory values: * AST \> 3 x upper limit of normal * ALT \> 3 x upper limit of normal * Total bilirubin \> 3.0 mg/dl * Use of any of the following concomitant medications AND inability/unwillingness to discontinue for at least 5 times the elimination half-life of the agent (specific exceptions are noted) prior to psilocybin administration, including: * Agents that may be associated with serotonin syndrome: * MAO inhibitors (participants must have discontinued 2 weeks prior to baseline) * St. John's Wort * S-adenosyl-methionine (SAM-e) * 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) * Dextromethorphan * Opioids (e.g., codeine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, meperidine, tramadol) * Lithium * Linezolid * Buspirone * Agents that may interact with psilocybin metabolism/effects: * Serotonin antagonists (e.g., cyclobenzaprine, ondansetron) * Antipsychotics * Other dopamine antagonists (e.g., metoclopramide, promethazine, prochlorperazine) * Nicotine * Modulators of uridine diphosphate (UDP) or glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) (e.g. valproate, diclofenac, mefenamic acid, verapamil, ketoconazole, itraconazole, probenecid, phenobarbital, protease inhibitors) * L-methyl folate (\>/= 7.5mg/day) * Efavirenz * Agents that may increase the risk of psychotic symptoms: * Stimulants (e.g. modafinil, methylphenidate, atomoxetine, methamphetamine, cocaine, amphetamine derivatives) * Anticholinergics (e.g. benztropine, trihexyphenidyl, scopolamine, hyoscyamine) * Systemic steroids * Tricyclic antidepressants * Other medical condition or diagnosis, concomitant medication(s), physical exam finding, laboratory abnormality or health risk identified that precludes participation in study procedures due to safety or feasibility concerns at the discretion of the investigators.

Study sites (1)

CT