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Psilocybin for Anhedonia and Emotional Blunting

This study is looking at whether a single dose of psilocybin (25 mg), compared to a placebo (an inactive substance), can help improve anhedonia (difficulty experiencing pleasure) and emotional blunting (reduced emotional response) in people who still have these symptoms despite taking common antidepressant medications (SSRIs or SNRIs). Researchers will measure changes in your anhedonia symptoms using a special scale and also look at how your brain's reward circuits are working. The study aims to enroll 90 participants between 18 and 65 years old. The current status of the study is unclear.

Study design
This interventional study plans to enroll 90 participants. It compares a single dose of psilocybin to a placebo.
What's involved
You would receive a one-time oral dose of either psilocybin or placebo. Your anhedonia symptoms and brain activity would be measured at the start of the study and again at Week 8.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Your progress will be followed until Week 8 after the treatment.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT07607938

Psilocybin as a Novel Therapy for Residual Anhedonia

Not Yet Recruiting
PHASE1Ages 18–65InterventionalTreatment
NYU Langone Health
~90 participants
Updated 2026-08-20 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:PsilocybinPlacebo

At a glance

Recruiting sites
0 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Change in Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale (DARS) Score
Measured over Baseline (Week -3), End of Study (Week 8)
+1 more outcome measured

Conditions

Anhedonia
Emotional Blunting

Explore related trials

AnhedoniaBlunted AffectUnipolar Depression

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states
New York1

Study leadership

  • Joshua Siegel, MD, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · NYU Langone Health

Who to contact

Julia Diamond
[email protected]
646-754-4744
Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Age between 18 and 65 years
Able to provide voluntary signed and dated informed consent.
Females of childbearing potential (FOCBP) must agree to practice an effective means of birth control throughout the duration of the trial
Males who have FOCBPs as partners must agree to practice an effective means of birth control throughout the duration of the trial
State willingness to comply and be available for all study requirements, including psychological, cognitive, imaging and procedural evaluations for the duration of the study
Meet DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD)
Screening Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale (DARS) total score of \< 28.5 points
Have an identified support person
Agree to refrain from taking all non-prescription medications and supplements (nutritional and herbal) for at least 1 week prior to the IP administration session unless approved by the Investigator.

Exclusion

Inability to speak and understand English sufficiently to complete informed consent and study procedures.
Inability to provide informed consent.
Women who are pregnant or who intend to become pregnant or nurse during the study duration.
Prior exposure to classic psychedelics (i.e., psilocybin, LSD, ayahuasca, and/or mescaline) within the past 1 year.
Current or previous psychiatric conditions that meet DSM-5 criteria for psychotic disorders (i.e., schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, MDD with psychosis), bipolar 1 or 2 disorder, or current diagnosis of active substance use disorder.
Have active suicidal ideation with intent, based on Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS assessment (severity score \> 3) at the Screening visit, confirmed by the Investigator.
Have made a medically significant suicide attempt (i.e., one that had a significant possibility of causing death or permanent harm in the absence of intervention) within the past 12 months, based on Screening C-SSRS assessment and confirmation by the Investigator.
Immediate family history (i.e., parents, full siblings, or half siblings) with known or suspected psychotic disorder.
Presence of medical conditions that may confound results of imaging study or that are contraindications to or psilocybin exposure (i.e., neurological, renal, hypertension, metabolic or cardiovascular disease or pregnancy);
Presence of contraindications to MRI scanning (implantable devices, bone hardware, various IUD).
Participants who received electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), trans magnetic cranial stimulation (TMS), and/or ketamine in the past 90 days.
Has any other physical or psychological symptom, medication, or other relevant finding prior to randomization that, based on the clinical judgment of trial personnel, would make a participant unsuitable for the trial.
Are unable or unwilling to discontinue taking any protocol-prohibited medications and supplements.

What this trial measures

  • Change in Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale (DARS) ScoreBaseline (Week -3), End of Study (Week 8)

    DARS is a 17-item, patient-reported instrument designed to measure "state" anhedonia (how a person is feeling right now). The total score is the sum of responses and ranges from 0-68; lower scores indicate more severe anhedonia.

  • Change in Fronto-Striatal Connectivity (pgACC-NAcc FC)Baseline (Week -3), End of Study (Week 8)

    This outcome measures the change in functional connectivity (FC) between the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC) and the nucleus accumbens (NAcc). PgACC-NAcc FC will be measured using fMRI sequencing. The standard deviation of FC is assumed to be 0.1.