{"id":2710,"date":"2026-08-18T17:42:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T17:42:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/giovannimartinotti.com\/home\/research-areas\/psichedelici-in-psichiatria\/"},"modified":"2026-09-23T13:53:31","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T13:53:31","slug":"psychedelics-in-psychiatry","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/giovannimartinotti.com\/en\/research-areas\/psychedelics-in-psychiatry\/","title":{"rendered":"Psychedelics in Psychiatry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Psychedelics in Psychiatry<\/h1>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Prof. Giovanni Martinotti is among the Italian researchers active in this field and is the principal investigator of the first clinical trial conducted in Italy with psilocybin.<\/p>\n

Psychedelic-assisted therapies study the controlled use of substances such as psilocybin, administered in a clinical setting under medical supervision, to treat psychiatric disorders such as depression that does not respond to conventional treatments.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Q. Can depression be cured with “magic mushrooms”?
<\/b>A. Research on psilocybin \u2014 the active compound studied in this field \u2014 shows promising results in treatment-resistant depression, but these are clinical trials conducted in a controlled environment under medical supervision. It is not an approved therapy, nor is it available to the public, and it has nothing to do with the unsupervised use of substances, which is illegal and dangerous.<\/p>\n

Q. What is psilocybin?
<\/b>A. It is a naturally occurring psychedelic substance, now studied in psychiatry as a possible treatment for certain disorders, particularly treatment-resistant depression, within authorized clinical trials.<\/p>\n

Q. Is psychedelic therapy available in Italy?
<\/b>A. It is currently the subject of clinical research: it is not a treatment available in routine practice, but it is being studied within authorized research protocols.<\/p>\n

Q. What role does the “setting” play in the therapy?
<\/b>A. The environment in which the session takes place and the support of the clinical team influence the experience and the outcome: for this reason, the therapy always takes place in a controlled, prepared setting, never on one’s own.<\/p>\n

Q. How can I apply for the clinical trial on psilocybin?
<\/b>A. To request a preliminary assessment for participation in the clinical trial on psilocybin, please contact the Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic of the “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara by sending an e-mail to ambulatoriuniversitari@gmail.com<\/a> The request must include a medical report documenting the diagnosis and clinical history. The study is intended exclusively for patients with treatment-resistant Major Depressive Disorder (TRD). Meeting these requirements does not automatically result in inclusion in the study. Further inclusion and exclusion criteria, and actual eligibility to participate, will be assessed subsequently by the clinical team.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Related publications<\/h2>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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1) Pettorruso M, d’Andrea G, Inserra A, Cavallotto C, Censi S, Billard E, Di Stefano A, De Risio L, Tullo MG, D’Addario C, Di Lorenzo G, Wise RG, Sensi SL, Zoratto F, Martinotti G. Mechanistic insights toward dissociating therapeutic from psychedelic effects: bridging the gap between psychedelic research and mental health care. Transl Psychiatry. 2026 Jun 24;16(1):458;\u00a0<\/a><\/div>\n
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2)\u00a0D’Andrea G, Chiappini S, Ciavoni L, Tucci R, Martino F, Semeraro FM, Di Battista D, Mosca A, Miuli A, Di Carlo F, Russo M, Di Petta G, Fornaro M, Pettorruso M, Sensi SL, Martinotti G. Psychedelics and ketamine\/esketamine in depressive disorders: biological mechanisms and associated neuroimaging and clinical changes. Transl Psychiatry. 2025 Oct 31;15(1):453<\/a><\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Related media<\/h2>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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