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Journal reviews psychedelic mushrooms and mental health as AZ invests in research

Arizona is investing $5 million to study if psychedelic mushrooms can help people with addiction, pain and PTSD.

Now the Journal of Psychiatric Practice says there are challenges to defining the clinical benefits of psilocybin.

The September issue of the journal covers treating depression with what are colloquially called magic mushrooms. They contain a naturally occurring psychedelic called psilocybin.

Recent clinical trials have reported it had positive effects as a remedy for mental illness such as treatment-resistant depression.

Therapeutic responses to psilocybin reportedly go with an intense emotional experience and can help patients reconsider their perspective.

But it's still considered an illegal drug by the U.S. government, which is just one roadblock to learning if psilocybin’s potential as a therapy is backed by science.

Matthew Casey has won Edward R. Murrow awards for hard news and sports reporting since he joined KJZZ as a senior field correspondent in 2015.