MICRODOSING PSYCHEDELICS - LSD, WHERE COULD IT GO?
S. Penedos, I. Figueiredo, Maria Margarida Magalhães Lopes, Pedro Azevedo Afonso, L. Moreno, Ana Margarida Romão Franco, Nuno Filipe da Silva Ribeiro, I. Fonseca, J. Nogueira, M. João Freire, J. Vieira, L. Madruga, A. Gamito
August 14, 2019 DOI: 10.26226/morressier.5d1a037757558b317a1406dd (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Open-label Cross-sectional |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Microdosing of psychedelics such as LSD |
| Dose | non-hallucinogenic dose |
| Topics | LSD Microdosing |
| Key findings | Few clinical studies exist on microdosing psychedelics, but a proposed neurobiological mechanism involves rebalancing hippocampal 5-HT2/5-HT1A signaling to bias emotional processing toward positive information and attenuate responses to fearful stimuli. |
Abstract
BACKGROUNDMicrodosing of psychedelics such as LSD consists in its regular ingestion of a non-hallucinogenic dose. Advocates deny experiencing the typical alterations in consciousness while reporting various long-lasting psychological benefits.It has been under research for treatment of mental health disorders including end-of-life anxiety, drug abuse, and depression. Increased accessibility in the recreational setting and the increasing interest and demand for cognitive enhancers by healthy people and the aging population calls for proper attention to this (re)developing field.METHODSRelevant studies were identified using PubMedRESULTSDespite promising preliminary findings, there are few clinical studies addressing this subject. These were based on a series of interviews, an open-label study, and cross-sectional study. Recent findings regarding pharmacokinetics may help improve the interpretation and replicability of future studies. One candidate neurobiological mechanism based on preclinical studies refers to a re-balance of hippocampal 5-HT2/5-HT1A signaling and associated plasticity. This appears to bias emotional processing toward positive information and to attenuate responses to fearful stimuli.Neuroimaging studies suggest that psychedelics might influence connectivity between cortical areas responsible for maintenance of the sense of
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on LSD and microdosing, most cited first.