A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Investigating the Efficacy of Various Psychedelic Drugs for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorder

Abstract

his project is a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the efficacy of psychedelic drugs specifically psilocybin, LSD, ketamine, and ibogaine for the treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs). The purpose of this research is to synthesize and critically evaluate existing clinical and observational studies to determine the effectiveness of these substances in reducing substance misuse, cravings, and withdrawal symptoms, and in promoting abstinence. The study systematically searched PubMed and PsycINFO, identifying 1,284 articles, of which 30 met the eligibility criteria and were included in the final analysis. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted separately for each psychedelic and, where possible, across combined interventions. Subgroup analyses were also performed to assess moderating factors such as duration of treatment outcomes and concurrent psychotherapy. Expected outcomes: To establish the overall efficacy of psychedelics as treatments for SUD. To determine which psychedelic demonstrates the strongest therapeutic effect. To assess whether combining psychedelics with psychotherapy provides additional benefit compared to psychedelic treatment alone. To provide evidence-based recommendations for future clinical research on psychedelic-assisted therapy. The anticipated findings will not only highlight the comparative effectiveness of different psychedelic interventions but also identify gaps in current research, guiding the design of future clinical trials.

Topics & conditions

Detected automatically by Psychedelic Commons from the title and abstract, not labels from the source. They may be incomplete.

Keywords