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Frontier mental health research: psychedelics & drug studies

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.

LSD Addiction Biology

1 paper

LSD

Based on 28 papers

Research on LSD sits inside a larger return to studying classic psychedelics. In carefully run studies, LSD and related drugs have shown promise for problems like depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, and distress near the end of life. Most research gives the drug in medical settings together with therapy and careful preparation. We still do not have final answers. Trials are often small, many questions about how the drugs work remain open, and some harms show up when people use LSD outside supervised research. Scientists are cautious: findings are interesting and sometimes strong, but more large, diverse, and long-term studies are needed.

Key findings

  • Researchers are testing LSD and other classic psychedelics for conditions such as depression, anxiety (including anxiety tied to serious illness), post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and addiction. 15135 15098 15055 15085 15068 15060
  • In research, LSD is usually given in a clinic with trained therapists. People get careful screening, preparation before the session, and follow‑up therapy afterward. 15065 15063 15086 15098
  • Most controlled trials use one or a few supervised, full doses given during a therapy session. Separate studies test very low ‘microdoses’ taken more often. 15086 15117 15063
  • Clinical studies and reviews report reduced anxiety and depression and improved well‑being after psychedelic‑assisted therapy, sometimes lasting weeks or months after one or a few sessions. 15055 15068 15063 15135
  • Scientific work shows LSD and similar drugs act mainly on a brain serotonin receptor called 5‑HT2A. They also seem to increase brain plasticity and change brain network patterns, which could help break rigid thinking. 15046 15050 15135
  • When LSD and other psychedelics are used under medical supervision, trials have generally reported acceptable safety with mostly short‑lived side effects in study participants. 15135 15055 15063
  • Use of psychedelics outside controlled settings has been linked to more reports of psychotic or manic symptoms, and drug‑induced hallucinations can sometimes cause serious or lasting problems in some people. 15133 15080 15072
  • Important questions remain. Researchers debate whether a full psychedelic experience is required for benefit, how long effects last, who will benefit most, and whether trial results apply to diverse populations because many studies are small and lack diversity. 15078 15086 15095 15117

The potential of 5‐methoxy‐N,N‐dimethyltryptamine in the treatment of alcohol use disorder: A first look at therapeutic mechanisms of action

Stephan Tap
Addiction Biology Summary & key facts 2024 11 citations

This paper is a first look at whether the fast-acting psychedelic 5‑MeO‑DMT might help people with alcohol use disorder. The authors reviewed existing studies in humans and animals and found early signs that 5‑MeO‑DMT can cause intense mystical feelings and a loss of self-boundaries, and that it changes brain rhythms…

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior Psychedelics and Drug Studies LSD Other
Summaries and links are for general information and education only. They are not a substitute for reading the original publication or for professional medical, legal, or other advice. Always refer to the linked source for the full study.