Speaker Bio
Dr. Johannes Jungwirth is a key member of the Psychiatric University Hospital in Zürich, specializing in psychiatry and psychotherapy. His academic journey began at the Medical University of Vienna, where he pursued his medical degree, delving into neuroimaging and ketamine research. This work laid the groundwork for his profound interest in mental health. Dr. Jungwirth's professional focus as a senior physician is the treatment of patients with difficult-to-treat depression. In the « second opinion » consultation he offers interventional treatments such as rTMS, ECT, laughing gas, esketamine, MDMA and psilocybin. A noteworthy achievement in Dr. Jungwirth’s career is his pivotal role in establishing the first Compassionate-Use program for psychedelics at the Psychiatric University Hospital in Zürich. This initiative marks a significant milestone, positioning the clinic as one of the inaugural providers worldwide to offer psychedelic therapy outside the context of research studies. This program reflects Dr. Jungwirth’s dedication to making innovative treatments accessible to patients and a deep-seated desire to bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and real-world patient needs. His research has been instrumental in shedding light on how psilocybin-assisted therapy can enhance emotional empathy and social cognition in individuals with depression, contributing to the broader understanding of new treatment avenues.
ICPR 2024 Abstract
Psilocybin-assisted therapy increases emotional empathy in patients with major depression
Background: Empathy plays a crucial role in interpersonal relationships and mental health. It is decreased in a variety of psychiatric disorders including major depression. Psilocybin, a promising candidate for treating depression, has been shown to acutely increase emotional empathy in healthy volunteers. However, no study has investigated this effect and its relevance for symptom improvement in a clinical population.
Objective: This study examines the enduring effects of psilocybin-assisted therapy on empathy in depressed patients using a randomized, placebo-controlled design.
Methods: Fifty-one depressed patients were randomly assigned to receive a single dose of psilocybin (0,215mg/kg body weight) or a placebo embedded in psychological support. Empathy was measured using the Multifaceted Empathy Test at baseline and 2 days, 1 week, and 2 weeks after substance administration. Changes in empathy were compared between treatment conditions.
Results: Patients who received psilocybin showed significant improvements in explicit emotional empathy driven by an increase in empathy towards positive stimuli compared to the placebo group for at least two weeks. Baseline cognitive empathy scores predicted treatment response.
Conclusion: This study highlights the potential of psychedelics to enhance social cognition in individuals living with depression and contributes to a better understanding of the psychological mechanisms of action of psychedelics. Further studies are necessary to investigate the interaction between social cognition and clinical efficacy.