Each month our editorial team sifts through hundreds of papers and curates notable findings—for practitioners and informed readers who want to stay current with the evidence. Subscribe to the monthly Research Digest for expert analysis and concise summaries of key papers.
Research on LSD for treating anxiety is small but shows some promise. A few clinical trials and older studies, often giving LSD together with therapy in controlled settings, reported reduced anxiety in people with cancer or other anxiety problems. However, most studies are small, use different methods, or mix LSD with other therapies, so we cannot be sure how strong or general the effects are (15068,15055,15135). Scientists have ideas about how LSD might help. Lab and animal work suggests classic psychedelics like LSD change serotonin brain receptors and can boost the brain’s ability to form new connections. Still, the exact brain changes in people and the biological markers that matter are not settled (15050,15086,15129). Safety in supervised trials looks acceptable, but LSD can cause strong hallucinations and, in rare cases, lasting problems. Bigger, better, and more diverse studies are needed before doctors can say LSD is a proven treatment for anxiety (15135,15080,15078,15095).
Researchers pooled results from 29 human studies that measured blood levels of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, after people received so-called psychoplastogen drugs such as ketamine or psychedelics. They found no clear change in blood BDNF after these drugs. The authors say this does not prove the…
