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 effects of musical genre played during sessions of a psilocybin study for tobacco smoking cessation. Participants (N=10) received psilocybin (20-30mg/70kg) in two sessions, each with a different genre (Western classical versus overtone-based), with order counterbalanced. Participants chose one genre for a third session (30mg/70kg). Mystical experiences scores tended to be higher in overtone-based than Western classical sessions. Six of ten participants chose 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 unique benefit. Broadly, they call for experimentally examining session components toward optimizing psychedelic therapeutic protocols.
The Selective Serotonin-2A Receptor Antagonist M100907 Reverses Behavioral Deficits in Dopamine Transporter Knockout Mice