LSD-assisted therapy induces rapid and lasting reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms, according to new research
LSD-assisted therapy could provide benefits to patients struggling with anxiety disorders, according to new research published in Biological Psychiatry. The findings suggest that the psychedelic drug can produce notable reductions of anxiety and comorbid depression symptoms.
LSD decreases binge-like drinking in a rodent model of alcoholism, but only temporarily
"This, together with other rodent work, points one towards thinking that psychedelic drugs on their own don’t have any inherent, persistent healing effects, but need something further for the therapeutic effects, which in human trials of course most likely is...
Neuroscience research suggests LSD might enhance learning and memory by promoting brain plasticity
New research published in Experimental Neurology provides some initial evidence that the psychedelic substance known as LSD has nootropic properties. The study found that LSD increased markers of neuroplasticity in human brain organoids, increased novelty preference in rats, and improved...
LSD microdosing does not appear to improve mood or cognitive ability, according to new placebo-controlled study
A new randomized controlled study of LSD microdosing has failed to find evidence that the psychedelic practice results in improvements to mood or cognition.
Neuroscientists gain a deeper understanding of how LSD affects molecular brain activity
The dopaminergic system appears to play an important but overlooked role in LSD's effects on consciousness, according to new research published in the journal Psychopharmacology. The findings provide new insight into the neurophysiological mechanisms responsible for the unique effects of...
LSD and salvia divinorum use linked to an increased likelihood of depression and suicidal thinking
People who report past-year use of the psychedelic drugs LSD (more commonly known as "acid") and salvia divinorum are more likely to report experiencing depression and/or suicidality in the same year, according to new research published in the journal Addictive...
Microdosing zebrafish with LSD shows its potential benefits for humans
Zebrafish might seem an odd choice in studying human health, but they share 70 per cent of their genes with us and are a popular nonhuman organism used by scientists to study biological processes. They are also incredibly social, making...
Mystical experiences might bridge the gap between LSD-induced “madness” and healing
A new randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study helps to bridge the gap between previous research that had examined LSD as a model of psychosis and research on the therapeutic value of psychedelic drugs. The findings, which appear in the journal Psychological...
New study sheds light on how LSD’s entropic effects on the brain impact language production
Language produced under the influence of the psychedelic drug lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) displays increased levels of entropy and reduced semantic coherence, according to new research published in the journal Consciousness and Cognition. In other words, people tend to have...
Microdosing LSD modulates the perception of time independently of other consciousness-altering effects
Lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD, is a drug which produces a variety of cognitive, perceptual and behavioral changes in users. One of these is distortions in interval timing: one’s perception of (relatively) short intervals and, specifically, the ability to reliably...
Psychedelics research: Scientists zero in on the ideal dose of LSD to use in psychiatric treatment
New research published in Neuropsychopharmacology provides insight into the acute dose dependent effects of LSD. The findings will help in the planning of clinical trials examining the use of the psychedelic drug in patients with psychiatric conditions. Previous research has...
Neuroscience study indicates that LSD “frees” brain activity from anatomical constraints
The psychedelic state induced by LSD appears to weaken the association between anatomical brain structure and functional connectivity, according to new research published in the journal NeuroImage. The study also provides evidence that LSD increases the complexity of segregated brain...
New study uncovers the distinct acute subjective effects of MDMA and LSD
MDMA induces only minimal and comparatively weak alterations of consciousness compared with LSD, according to the first controlled study to conduct a head-to-head comparison of the drugs. The findings have been published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology. "MDMA and LSD are...
First controlled study of LSD microdosing finds few benefits — and some downsides
New research confirms that the alterations in consciousness associated with very low doses of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) are not just the result of a placebo effect. But the findings suggest that these "microdoses" might not have many benefits. Preliminary...
LSD allows more information to flood into the brain by altering activity in the thalamus
New neuroimaging research provides evidence that the psychedelic drug LSD alters the capacity of the thalamus to control the flow of sensory information to other areas of the brain. The thalamus is a small section of the midbrain through which...
