News
Vail Health launches study investigating how to expand antidepressant effects of psilocybin
Zoe Goldstein | Vail Daily
July 01, 2025
_reg.jpeg)
All OPTIMIZE study participants receive psilocybin, which has been proven to positively impact patients with depression
Psilocybin, the active psychedelic ingredient in magic mushrooms, has been proven to impact patients with depression positively. Vail Health’s OPTIMIZE study, which will administer doses of psilocybin to all 140 participants, aims to investigate how to predict and enhance this effect.“In our (psilocybin) studies, only half the people that get a high dose are really feeling completely fine six weeks later,” said Charles Raison, director of Vail Health’s Behavioral Health Innovation Center. “We want to try to see, can we get 70 percent of people there, 80 percent of people?”
The OPTIMIZE study examines the impact of noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation on patients with depression who have received a strong dose of psilocybin.
Read the full article >
More News
-
New!
More
Angelia Dreher Earns Prestigious National Pharmacy Leadership Credential
Vail Health Director of Pharmacy Services Angelia Dreher has been awarded the
-
New!
More
Mental health stressors peak in Colorado mountain communities as the winter-that-wasn’t melts into offseason
Demand for counseling is pacing well above last year as communities empty, costs rise and work ebbs. “It...
-
New!
More
Stay Steady: Improving Balance to Prevent Falls
We tend to take balance for granted when we’re regularly skiing, biking or hiking. Unfortunately, it’s one of the first abilities to decline with age, and one that can cause a cascade of health problems. But the good news is, intervening early and working on targeted exercises can positively change your health trajectory, helping you remain active and independent.