Table of Contents
In a small, first-of-its-kind pilot at UC San Francisco, 12 people living with Parkinson’s disease each completed two sessions of psilocybin therapy, one at 10 mg and one at 25 mg, with no serious adverse effects reported. Many participants reported improvements in mood, motor, and cognitive function, though results varied across individuals.
- Safety was the primary focus: All 12 participants completed both dosing sessions, and the research team reported no serious adverse effects, which the lead researcher described as a promising safety profile.
- Results were not uniform: While many participants reported improvements in mood, motor function, and cognition, the experience was not identical for every person, and the researchers do not expect psilocybin to be the right fit for all patients.
- Mood symptoms are a key target: Depression and anxiety are common in Parkinson’s and are linked to faster physical decline. The UCSF team is specifically investigating whether psilocybin can address this overlooked dimension of the disease.
- A larger study is now recruiting: Encouraged by the initial safety data, the research team is scaling up to a more in-depth trial, aiming to understand not just whether psilocybin helps, but how and for whom.
- Model
- human
- Sample
- 12 adults with Parkinson’s disease
- Dose
- 10 mg psilocybin (initial session), 25 mg psilocybin (second session, if no safety concerns after the first)
- Design
- Open-label pilot; participants monitored for several weeks between sessions
- Key outcome
- All 12 participants completed both sessions with no serious adverse effects reported; many reported improvements in mood, motor, and cognitive function
- Main limitation
- Very small sample, no placebo or control group, and the source is a news report rather than a peer-reviewed publication
What the Research Examined
This recap is based on a CBS News San Francisco report published May 14, 2025, which covers an early-phase clinical pilot led by Dr. Ellen Bradley and colleagues at the University of California, San Francisco. The underlying study has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal as of this writing, so the figures here come from the researcher’s own statements to the outlet. Readers interested in the broader current psilocybin research landscape will find that mood and neuroplasticity are recurring themes across multiple conditions now under investigation.
The pilot enrolled 12 people living with Parkinson’s disease. Each participant first received a 10 mg dose of psilocybin and was monitored for a few weeks. If no safety concerns emerged, they then received a full therapeutic dose of 25 mg. The design was specifically structured to assess tolerability in a population where caution is warranted, because Parkinson’s involves widespread neurodegeneration that extends well beyond motor circuits and into mood and cognitive systems.
Dr. Bradley framed the research question in two parts: does psilocybin therapy work for this population, and if so, how does it work? She specifically named neuroplasticity, the brain’s capacity to adapt and rewire itself, as a mechanistic question her team wants to answer. The encouraging safety data from this pilot has prompted the team to begin recruiting for a larger follow-on study.
What the Findings Show
- Completion rate.All 12 participants completed both the initial 10 mg and the full 25 mg psilocybin sessions.
- Serious adverse effects.Zero serious adverse effects were reported across all participants and both dosing sessions, per Dr. Bradley’s statements to CBS News.
- Mood, motor, and cognitive reports.Many, though not all, participants reported improvements in motor and cognitive function following treatment. The research team noted that individual responses varied.
- Next phase.The team is actively recruiting for a larger study, with the initial safety profile described as a green light for more in-depth research.
It is worth holding these numbers carefully. Twelve participants in an open-label pilot, with no control group and no blinding, cannot tell us whether psilocybin caused the improvements or whether other factors contributed. What the data do support, in this early context, is that the dosing protocol appears tolerable for this population, which is a necessary first step before larger, more rigorous trials can proceed.
Is psilocybin therapy safe for people with Parkinson’s disease?
In a small UCSF pilot involving 12 participants, psilocybin therapy at doses of 10 mg and 25 mg was completed by every participant without serious adverse effects. This early finding is promising for safety, but the study was too small and too early to draw firm conclusions about effectiveness.
What This Is, and What It Is Not
This is This is a summary of an early-phase, open-label pilot study in 12 people, reported through a news outlet before peer-reviewed publication.
This is not This is not evidence that psilocybin treats or cures Parkinson’s disease, and it does not establish a recommended dose or protocol. Nothing here constitutes medical advice, and no one should alter a treatment plan based on this preliminary research.
Our Take
Within our community, Parkinson’s touches many lives, sometimes directly and sometimes through people we love. What stands out here is not just the safety signal, but the question Dr. Bradley is asking: can the sacrament help a mind that has been walled off from itself find its way back to openness? One participant described being able to dream again. That language resonates. The science is early, the numbers are small, and we hold the findings with appropriate humility. Still, the direction of inquiry matters, and UCSF is pointing toward something worth watching closely.
If you or someone you care about lives with Parkinson’s disease, this research is not a prescription or a promise. It is a door opening, slowly and carefully, the way good science should. We invite you to sit with what this pilot suggests, to bring your own questions to it, and to stay with us as the larger study unfolds. The path from early safety data to a meaningful treatment is long, and we will walk it alongside you, one honest report at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What doses of psilocybin were used in the UCSF Parkinson’s study?
Participants first received a 10 mg dose of psilocybin and were monitored for a few weeks. If no safety concerns arose, they then received a 25 mg dose. Both sessions were conducted in a controlled clinical research setting under medical supervision.
Did the UCSF psilocybin Parkinson’s trial report any serious side effects?
No. According to Dr. Ellen Bradley of UCSF, all 12 participants completed both dosing sessions without any serious adverse effects being reported. The researchers described this outcome as an encouraging safety profile.
How many people participated in the UCSF psilocybin Parkinson’s pilot?
Twelve people with Parkinson’s disease took part in the initial pilot. The research team has since begun recruiting for a larger follow-on study, citing the favorable early safety data as justification for expanding the work.
Does psilocybin help with Parkinson’s symptoms?
It is too early to say definitively. Many participants in this small pilot reported improvements in mood, motor, and cognitive function, but the study had no control group, and results varied among individuals. Much larger, controlled trials are needed before any firm conclusions can be drawn.
Why are researchers studying psilocybin for Parkinson’s disease specifically?
Parkinson’s affects far more than motor function. Depression and anxiety are common in the disease and are linked to faster physical decline. UCSF researchers believe psilocybin may help address these mood symptoms, and they are also investigating whether it could support neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt and rewire.
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