Abstract
Mounting evidence supports the serotonin 2A receptor agonist psilocybin as a psychiatric pharmacotherapy. Little research has experimentally examined how session "set and setting"impacts subjective and therapeutic effects. We analyzed the effects of the musical genre played during sessions of a psilocybin study for tobacco smoking cessation. Participants (N = 10) received psilocybin (20-30 mg/70 kg) in two sessions, each with a different musical genre (Western classical versus overtone-based), with the order counterbalanced. Participants chose one genre for a third session (30 mg/70 kg). Mystical experiences scores tended to be higher in overtone-based sessions than in Western classical sessions. Six of ten participants chose the overtone-based music for a third session. Biologically confirmed smoking abstinence was similar based on musical choice, with a slight benefit for participants choosing the overtone-based playlist (66.7% versus 50%). These data call into question whether Western classical music typically used in psychedelic therapy holds a unique benefit. Broadly, we call for experimentally examining session components toward optimizing psychedelic therapeutic protocols.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 472-478 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science |
Volume | 4 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 9 2021 |
Keywords
- cessation
- cigarettes
- music
- nicotine
- psilocybin
- psychedelic
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pharmacology
- Pharmacology (medical)