View psychedelic research paper by the number of citations.
This is a specific view of our Papers database that automatically shows the top-cited psychedelic articles.
By viewing the data through this lens, you quickly determine what articles have most strongly influenced the (academic) discourse around psychedelics as medicines.
This double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, within-subjects study (n=7) investigated the antidepressant efficacy of a single dose of ketamine (35mg/70kg) in patients with depression and found significant improvements in depressive symptoms within 72 hours after infusion.
Biological Psychiatry
February 2000
Cited by 3,804
This is one of the first (and key) double-blind, placebo-controlled studies (n=36) on psilocybin and its effect on 'healthy normals'. It shows that a high (30mg/70kg) dose can occasion mystical (peak) experiences (participants did already have a spiritual/religious practice beforehand). The experience is rated as personally meaningful. The participants exhibit positive mood (and lower anxiety) immediately and after two months.
Journal of Psychopharmacology
July 2006
Cited by 1,677
This paper is the most comprehensive review of psychedelics research up to 2016 by the eminent David E. Nichols.
Pharmacological Reviews
April 2016
Cited by 1,630
This study (n=51) investigated the effects of a high dose of psilocybin (22 or 30mg/70kg) on depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer. It found significant improvements in clinician- and self-administered measures of depression and anxiety, even without psychotherapy (as many other studies provide). At 6-month follow-up, these changes were sustained, with about 80% of participants continuing to show clinically significant decreases in depressed mood and anxiety.
Journal of Psychopharmacology
November 2016
Cited by 1,557
This seminal review paper (2004) reviews the psychedelics literature up to this point. It specifically looks at how the psychedelics influence the brain (regions). The main conclusion is that psychedelics increase prefrontal cortical metabolism, and correlations have been developed between activity in specific brain areas and psychological elements of the psychedelic experience. The paper foreshadows the research on the practical uses of psychedelics for (mental) illnesses.
Pharmacology and Therapeutics
January 2004
Cited by 1,552
This review (2106) explores findings from rodent studies that examined whether a ketamine-metabolite (HNK) with fewer side effects is sufficient to induce antidepressant effects using a range of measurement techniques. Results indicated that the metabolite could exert antidepressant effects through early activation of glutaminergic AMPA receptors, independent of NMDA receptor inhibition typically induced by ketamine.
Nature
May 2016
Cited by 1,336
This is the first modern study (n=12) on psilocybin and its effects on treatment-resistant depression (TRD). It shows that two sessions with psilocybin (10mg and 25mg) in combination with psychological support can reduce depressive symptoms over periods of one week to three months after treatment. Psilocybin was well tolerated by all of the patients, and no serious or unexpected adverse events occurred.
Lancet Psychiatry
May 2016
Cited by 1,246
This double-blind placebo-controlled study (n=29) for those suffering from anxiety and depression, related to cancer, improved significantly (60-80% of participants) after a single dose of psilocybin (21mg/70kg) in combination with psychotherapy.
Journal of Psychopharmacology
November 2016
Cited by 1,226
This is the first (modern) double-blind placebo-controlled study (n=12) of psilocybin (14mg/70kg) for the treatment of (end-of-life) anxiety (and depression) related to cancer. Treatment led to a significant reduction in anxiety symptoms up to three months after treatment and improvements in depressive symptoms reached significance after six months.
Archives of General Psychiatry
September 2010
Cited by 1,185
This rigorous randomized controlled trial (n=73) found that ketamine has rapid (24 hours) anti-depressant effects (MARDS) for those with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Compared to the placebo group (midazolam), ketamine led to greater improvements in MADRS scores by 7.95 points and the response rate was greater in the ketamine group.
American Journal of Psychiatry
October 2013
Cited by 1,181
This seminal fMRI study (n=30) found decreases in blood flow of hub regions in the brain (thalamus, ACC, PCC). The study is the first to report on these findings with psilocybin (2mg iv ~15mg oral). There was a decoupling between the medial prefrontal cortex and the posterior cingulate cortex and this decoupling is hypothesized to be responsible for the psychedelic state.
PNAS
January 2012
Cited by 1,120
This double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study (n=18) with those suffering from bipolar depression (BD; treatment-resistant) found that ketamine (35mg/70kg; 2x 2w apart) produced anti-depressant effects as measured on the MADRS scale. The effects were found immediately (40 minutes) and lasted up to three days.
Archives of General Psychiatry
August 2010
Cited by 1,068
This seminal paper (2014) introduces the entropic brain hypothesis intending to build a bridge between neuroscience and psychoanalytic theories. The entropic brain hypothesis proposes two different forms of cognition, one being more 'critical' and unconstrained (whilst under psychedelics). It has become one of the major theories underlying our understanding of how psychedelics exert their therapeutic effects.
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
February 2014
Cited by 1,034
This 2008 manuscript set out the commonly used guidelines for safety when doing research with psychedelics. It urges researchers to check for (a family history of) psychotic disorders, the need for trust with the monitors, and the risk of an overwhelming trip.
Journal of Psychopharmacology
May 2008
Cited by 967
This follow-up study (n=36) found that the mystical experience on the day of the psychedelic experience (58% had a 'full' experience) with psilocybin (30mg/70kg) mediated the level of personal meaning and spiritual significance reported 14 months later.
Journal of Psychopharmacology
July 2008
Cited by 944
This paper (1998) was one of the first to identify psilocybin/psilocin as working on the serotonin (5-HT2A) receptor and not only on the dopaminergic system. The direct comparisons as mentioned in the article are nowadays a bit more nuanced.
NeuroReport
December 1998
Cited by 882
This is the first study to use psilocybin and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in concert for smoking cessation in an open-label format. Participants received a moderate (20 mg/70kg) and high (30 mg/70kg) of psilocybin with a 15-week smoking cessation protocol. At the six-month follow-up, 80% of participants were smoking-free.
Journal of Psychopharmacology
September 2014
Cited by 838
This oft-cited (457+) opinion/review article by Vollenweider & Kometer gives an overview of the neurobiology of psychedelics and where research stood in 2010.
Nature
August 2010
Cited by 831
This re-analysis from two psilocybin trials with hallucinogen-naïve subjects (n=52) looked at personality changes in participants. It found significant increases in openness (but not neuroticism, extroversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness), which remained higher than baseline for those who had a mystical experience up to a year.
Journal of Psychopharmacology
September 2011
Cited by 826
This double-blind, randomized study (n=18) investigated the effects of psilocybin at different dosages. It found that positive effects were most pronounced at 20/30mg per 70kg. At two and 14 months later, participants indicated positive changes and rated the experience as one of the top 5 life experiences.
Journal of Psychopharmacology
June 2011
Cited by 814
This open-label study (n=10) combined therapy with two psilocybin (21-28mg) sessions and showed a significant reduction in (heavy) drinking days up to 36 weeks later.
Journal of Psychopharmacology
January 2015
Cited by 785
Using three different neuroimaging techniques (ASL, BOLD, MEG), this single-blind, placebo-controlled study highlighted the neurological underpinnings of the LSD/psychedelic (75μg) experience.
PNAS
April 2016
Cited by 765
This is the first placebo-controlled study (n=20) to shown the effectiveness of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy (MDMA-AT) in alleviating the symptoms of PTSD. Following two MDMA-AT sessions, 83% of participants in the active treatment group didn't qualify for PTSD anymore (CAPS score).
Journal of Psychopharmacology
July 2010
Cited by 721
This double-blind, placebo-controlled study (n=9) of psilocybin (up to 21mg/70kg) found no adverse effects and improvements in OCD symptoms. Immediate improvements on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) varied between 23-100% reductions. Positive results were also observed after the 24 hours reported in the study.
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
October 2006
Cited by 692
This double-blind, cross-over study (n=12) showed that LSD (200 μg, 2 sessions) in combination with psychotherapy was safe to use and trended towards a positive effect on end-of-life anxiety.
Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
June 2014
Cited by 676
This single-blind, placebo-controlled experiment (n=20) showed how ketamine decreased mismatch negativity (MMN), offering insights into how this neurological system may influence information processing in schizophrenia.
Archives of General Psychiatry
December 2000
Cited by 666
This double-blind, randomized, crossover, placebo-controlled replication study (n=15) investigated the effects of ketamine (35mg) on patients with treatment-resistant bipolar depression, and found rapid improvements of depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, and subjective well-being within 40 minutes after infusion and up to 3 days after.
Biological Psychiatry
June 2012
Cited by 657
This seminal paper (1986) introduces the classification 'entactogens' for MDMA and compounds with similar psychopharmacological action.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
October 1986
Cited by 635
This study (2007) identifies the biological reasons, the specific regulation of Gi/o proteins and Src, why psychedelics that affect the 5-HT2A receptor have hallucinogenic effects while agonists (lusuride) do not.
Neuron
January 2007
Cited by 592
This very stringent meta-analysis (including 6 trials, n=536) concludes that a single session/dose of LSD treatment has short-term (<6 months) effects on alcoholism (less misuse, more abstinence) but no positive long-term outcomes (>12 months).
Journal of Psychopharmacology
January 2012
Cited by 590
Find Psychedelic Papers by Citation
The psychedelic research articles page offers a unique view into the most impactful academic work on psychedelic substances. By sorting articles by the number of citations, you can see at a glance which studies have the most considerable influence on the field. The pages act as a leaderboard, highlighting the research shaping the scientific understanding of psychedelics.
The highly-cited articles at the top reveal foundational insights and discoveries that have driven interest and investment in psychedelics. Landmark studies on the effects and mechanisms of substances like psilocybin and MDMA appear alongside key clinical trials demonstrating therapeutic efficacy. This collection represents the pioneering work that has brought psychedelics back into the mainstream scientific community.
Scrolling through the ranked list provides a snapshot of the current state of psychedelic research. The pages aggregate studies from diverse sources and disciplines, documenting the breadth of investigation into these compounds. Both classic, field-shaping publications and more recent contributions appear, chronicling the field’s evolution. This curated page offers a convenient and organised resource for anyone interested in understanding the academic foundations and growth of psychedelic science. Focusing on citation counts filters the literature and highlights the most influential scholarship shaping psychedelic research today.
More coverage of psychedelic research can be found on our Papers page.
