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Pokorny T, Preller KH, Kometer M, Dziobek I, Vollenweider FX. Effect of Psilocybin on Empathy and Moral Decision-Making. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2017; 20:747-757. [PMID: 28637246 PMCID: PMC5581487 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyx047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2016] [Revised: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Impaired empathic abilities lead to severe negative social consequences and influence the development and treatment of several psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, empathy has been shown to play a crucial role in moral and prosocial behavior. Although the serotonin system has been implicated in modulating empathy and moral behavior, the relative contribution of the various serotonin receptor subtypes is still unknown. Methods We investigated the acute effect of psilocybin (0.215 mg/kg p.o.) in healthy human subjects on different facets of empathy and hypothetical moral decision-making using the multifaceted empathy test (n=32) and the moral dilemma task (n=24). Results Psilocybin significantly increased emotional, but not cognitive empathy compared with placebo, and the increase in implicit emotional empathy was significantly associated with psilocybin-induced changed meaning of percepts. In contrast, moral decision-making remained unaffected by psilocybin. Conclusions These findings provide first evidence that psilocybin has distinct effects on social cognition by enhancing emotional empathy but not moral behavior. Furthermore, together with previous findings, psilocybin appears to promote emotional empathy presumably via activation of serotonin 2A/1A receptors, suggesting that targeting serotonin 2A/1A receptors has implications for potential treatment of dysfunctional social cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Pokorny
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland (Mr Pokorny, and Drs Preller, Kometer, and Vollenweider); Heffter Research Center Zurich, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland (Mr Pokorny, and Drs Preller, Kometer, and Vollenweider); Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany (Dr Dziobek)
| | - Katrin H Preller
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland (Mr Pokorny, and Drs Preller, Kometer, and Vollenweider); Heffter Research Center Zurich, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland (Mr Pokorny, and Drs Preller, Kometer, and Vollenweider); Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany (Dr Dziobek)
| | - Michael Kometer
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland (Mr Pokorny, and Drs Preller, Kometer, and Vollenweider); Heffter Research Center Zurich, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland (Mr Pokorny, and Drs Preller, Kometer, and Vollenweider); Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany (Dr Dziobek)
| | - Isabel Dziobek
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland (Mr Pokorny, and Drs Preller, Kometer, and Vollenweider); Heffter Research Center Zurich, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland (Mr Pokorny, and Drs Preller, Kometer, and Vollenweider); Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany (Dr Dziobek)
| | - Franz X Vollenweider
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland (Mr Pokorny, and Drs Preller, Kometer, and Vollenweider); Heffter Research Center Zurich, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland (Mr Pokorny, and Drs Preller, Kometer, and Vollenweider); Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany (Dr Dziobek)
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Tylš F, Páleníček T, Horáček J. Psilocybin--summary of knowledge and new perspectives. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2014; 24:342-56. [PMID: 24444771 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2013.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2013] [Revised: 11/17/2013] [Accepted: 12/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Psilocybin, a psychoactive alkaloid contained in hallucinogenic mushrooms, is nowadays given a lot of attention in the scientific community as a research tool for modeling psychosis as well as due to its potential therapeutic effects. However, it is also a very popular and frequently abused natural hallucinogen. This review summarizes all the past and recent knowledge on psilocybin. It briefly deals with its history, discusses the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and compares its action in humans and animals. It attempts to describe the mechanism of psychedelic effects and objectify its action using modern imaging and psychometric methods. Finally, it describes its therapeutic and abuse potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Tylš
- Prague Psychiatric Center, Prague, Czech Republic; 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Tomáš Páleníček
- Prague Psychiatric Center, Prague, Czech Republic; 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Horáček
- Prague Psychiatric Center, Prague, Czech Republic; 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic
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