Acute effects of psilocybin on attention and executive functioning in healthy volunteers: a systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis

Abstract

Rationale Psilocybin shows promise for treating neuropsychiatric disorders. However, insight into its acute effects on cognition is lacking. Given the significant role of executive functions in daily life and treatment efficacy, it is crucial to evaluate how psilocybin influences these cognitive domains. Objectives This meta-analysis aims to quantify the acute effects of psilocybin on executive functions and attention, while examining how dosage, timing of administration, cognitive domain, and task characteristics moderate these effects. Methods A systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis were conducted on empirical studies assessing psilocybin’s acute effects on working memory, conflict monitoring, response inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and attention. Effect sizes for reaction time (RT) and accuracy (ACC) were calculated, exploring the effects of timing (on-peak defined as 90–180 min post-administration), dosage, cognitive function categories, and task sensitivity to executive functions as potential moderators. Results Thirteen studies (42 effect sizes) were included. In the acute phase, psilocybin increased RTs (Hedges' g = 1.13, 95% CI [0.57, 1.7]) and did not affect ACC (Hedges' g = -0.45, 95% CI [-0.93, 0.034]). Effects on RT were dose dependent. Significant between-study heterogeneity was found for both RT and ACC. Task sensitivity to executive functions moderated RT effects. Publication bias was evident, but the overall effect remained significant after adjustment for this. Conclusions Our meta-analysis shows that psilocybin impairs executive functions and results in a slowing down of RT. We discuss potential neurochemical mechanisms underlying the observed effects as well as implications for the safe use of psilocybin in clinical and experimental contexts.

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