March 2026
LSD
What March 2026's 9 new studies found, synthesized from the papers below. All LSD research →
The synthesis
Synthesized from 5 studies in the library · AI-generated, grounded in the abstracts below
Found by searching the library for LSD, lysergic acid diethylamide, lysergide, then ranked by relevance.
Research published in March 2026 found that LSD relaxes structural constraints on brain dynamics and that its default-mode decoupling tracks ego dissolution. A new questionnaire (m-DASC) was validated to measure subjective effects of very low LSD doses (13 and 26 µg). Epidemiological data showed LSD use declined in the US from 2021 to 2023, while perceived availability slightly increased from 2015 to 2019. Preclinical work in mice found single LSD doses did not reduce opioid consumption but attenuated withdrawal-associated thermal hyperalgesia.
Evidence by study
Direction is which way each study's own result points, not our rating of the study. Synthesized from the 5 strongest of 9 matching studies in the library.
What the directions mean
- Supports:
- the study found the intervention worked, or its hypothesis held.
- Opposes:
- it found the opposite, no benefit or a harm.
- No effect:
- no significant difference either way.
- Mixed:
- effects in both directions within the same study.
- Unclear:
- the abstract does not report a direction.
| Study | Design | Sample size | Direction | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Effects of Psychedelics Lysergic Acid Diethylamide and R (–)-2,5-Dimethoxy-4-Iodoamphetamine on Oral Opioid Consumption and Naloxone-Precipitated Withdrawal in Male C57Bl/6J Mice 2026 | preclinical experimental study | Mixed | Single doses of LSD did not reduce opioid consumption or withdrawal jumping in fentanyl-dependent mice, but attenuated withdrawal-associated thermal hyperalgesia. | |
| LSD Relaxes Structural Constraints on Brain Dynamics and Default Mode Decoupling Tracks Ego Dissolution 2026 | experimental study | Supports | LSD induced global decoupling of low-frequency brain activity from anatomical constraints and frequency-selective reorganization of gamma-band activity within the default-mode network, predicting ego dissolution intensity. | |
| m-DASC: Measuring Subjective Effects of Very Low Doses of Psychedelic Drugs. 2026 | questionnaire development and validation | 199 | Supports | The newly developed m-DASC questionnaire detected significant subjective effects of LSD at 13 and 26 µg doses, whereas standard altered-states questionnaires did not capture low-dose effects. |
| Hallucinogen use in the United States, 2021-2023: Diverging trends and subgroup patterns. 2026 | observational cohort | Opposes | Between 2021 and 2023, overall hallucinogen use prevalence remained stable at about 2.8%, but LSD use declined from 0.88% to 0.58%. | |
| Perceived Availability of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in the United States from 2015 to 2019 2026 | observational cohort | 281464 | Supports | Perceived availability of LSD increased slightly from 2015 to 2019, especially among several subpopulations, while remaining widely perceived as difficult to obtain. |
Single doses of LSD did not reduce opioid consumption or withdrawal jumping in fentanyl-dependent mice, but attenuated withdrawal-associated thermal hyperalgesia.
preclinical experimental study
LSD induced global decoupling of low-frequency brain activity from anatomical constraints and frequency-selective reorganization of gamma-band activity within the default-mode network, predicting ego dissolution intensity.
experimental study
The newly developed m-DASC questionnaire detected significant subjective effects of LSD at 13 and 26 µg doses, whereas standard altered-states questionnaires did not capture low-dose effects.
questionnaire development and validation Sample size: 199
Between 2021 and 2023, overall hallucinogen use prevalence remained stable at about 2.8%, but LSD use declined from 0.88% to 0.58%.
observational cohort
Perceived availability of LSD increased slightly from 2015 to 2019, especially among several subpopulations, while remaining widely perceived as difficult to obtain.
observational cohort Sample size: 281464
Points of agreement
- LSD produces measurable changes in brain dynamics and subjective experience, even at low doses.
- Epidemiological data from the US show LSD use is declining while perceived availability is slightly increasing.
- Preclinical evidence suggests LSD may have limited effects on opioid consumption but some potential for pain-related symptoms.
Conflicts
- LSD use declined from 2021 to 2023, but perceived availability increased from 2015 to 2019, possibly reflecting different time periods or a lag between availability and use.
- The preclinical study found no effect of LSD on opioid consumption, contrasting with some human studies suggesting anti-addiction effects, though the latter were not directly tested in this set.
Gaps
- No clinical trials of LSD in humans for therapeutic outcomes were included in this set.
- Long-term safety and efficacy data for LSD, especially in adolescents and palliative care populations, are lacking.
- The neural mechanisms of low-dose LSD effects and their relationship to subjective experience remain incompletely understood.
- Durability of LSD's effects on brain dynamics and subjective experience beyond acute administration is not addressed.