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Study · Measured the body's own peptide · 2025

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Neurobiological mechanisms of antidepressant properties of psilocybin: A systematic review of blood biomarkers.

Constantino JL, van Dalfsen JH, Massetti S, Kamphuis J, Schoevers RA

Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry7 Jan 2025Cited by 6 (Europe PMC)

PMID39788410 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.pnpbp.2025.111251 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-39788410
Publisher pagePubMedAsk about this study
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Summary

Psilocybin represents a novel therapeutic approach for individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) who do not respond to conventional antidepressant treatment. Investigating the influence of psilocybin on the pathophysiological processes involved in MDD could enhance our neurobiological understanding of the presumed antidepressant action mechanism. This systematic review aims to summarize the results of human studies investigating changes in blood-based biomarkers of MDD to guide future research on potentially relevant analytes that could be monitored in clinical trials. A systematic search was performed in MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science to retrieve studies investigating changes in serum and plasma levels of neurotrophic, immunologic, neuroendocrine, and metabolic markers. Nine studies were included, describing findings on 15 biomarkers, exclusively in healthy participants. Studies consistently reported a decrease in interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and eosinophils, and an increase in cortisol, prolactin, oxytocin, thyroid-stimulating hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and free fatty acids following psilocybin administration. Less consistent effects were observed on interleukin-1β, interleukin-8, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor, and growth hormone. The results are in line with preclinical studies and provide initial support from human studies that psilocybin potentially leads to beneficial effects on biomarkers of MDD. However, given the limited number of studies, findings should be approached with caution prior to replication. Further research should include larger samples, clinical populations, longer-term assessment, rigorous experimental designs, and account for the potential confounding of psychological stress related to the psychedelic experience.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study1

No result from this study comes from a test of the peptide.

Natural levels measured1

These results measure the body's own peptide. Nobody was given the peptide. They are not evidence about taking it. They are left out of key results, evidence counts and charts.

  1. 01HumanEndogenous levelSystematic reviewOther

    In healthy participants, blood oxytocin levels increased following psilocybin administration across included studies.

    In plain wordsIn healthy people, psilocybin was followed by a rise in the body's own oxytocin in the blood.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseBlood oxytocin after psilocybin
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Sex hormones and fertility · Endocrine and hormones

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Studies consistently reported a decrease in interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and eosinophils, and an increase in cortisol, prolactin, oxytocin, thyroid-stimulating hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and free fatty acids following psilocybin administration.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Nine studies were included, describing findings on 15 biomarkers, exclusively in healthy participants.

    This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    11 Oct 2026, 00:50 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 02:48 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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