Dr. Ambereen Mehta, associate professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine, and Dr. Albert Garcia-Romeu, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, have been awarded more than $2 million by the Department of Defense to lead a clinical trial for patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) to study the effects of psilocybin on mood, hopelessness, and quality of life.
Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic substance found in some species of mushrooms that has shown promise for treating depression and anxiety, as well as improving quality of life in cancer patients. People living with ALS experience significant suffering with a disease that currently has no cure.
Dr. Mehta is an Associate Professor of Palliative Care in the Departments of General Internal Medicine and Neurology and provides specialty palliative care at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and in the Johns Hopkins Center for ALS Specialty Care. Dr. Garcia-Romeu is an Assistant Professor in the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research.
The study will expect to begin recruiting participants in Fall 2024.
