Optimal therapy for smokers combines drugs, behavioral support

Abstract

In healthy adults, LSD produces little change in cognition, mood There have been numerous anecdotal reports of beneficial mood and cognitive effects from repeated administration of low doses of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) at intervals of 3 to 4 days, but few controlled studies have been conducted. Animal research has suggested that repeated low doses of LSD could confer antidepressant benefits. A study compared the effects of four doses of LSD and placebo on mood, cognition, and response to emotional tasks in a group of healthy individuals. Eligible for the double-blind study were adults aged 18 to 35 who reported having used a psychedelic drug or 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) at least once in their lifetime. Among the exclusion criteria were a medical condition contraindicating participation, such as liver or kidney disease, and a serious psychiatric condition, such as psychosis or current suicidal ideation. Under supervised conditions, participants received sublingual LSD 13 μg or 26 μg or placebo in four 5-hour laboratory sessions conducted 3 to 4 days apart. At the first and fourth session, participants completed cognitive and behavioral tasks 150 minutes after drug administration; they completed mood questionnaires at every visit. The primary outcomes were ratings of mood, as measured by the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), and performance on cognitive tasks during drug sessions and in a drugfree follow-up session 3 to 4 days after the last drug session. Fifty-six participants were randomized to treatment. There were no significant between-group differences in scores on the DASS, with scores declining in all three groups after the four sessions. There also were no significant between-group differences in scores on the PANAS. LSD did not result in significant differences in performance on emotional tasks, such as identifying facial expressions associated with various emotions. The researchers reported that the highdose group mainly experienced subjective stimulant-like effects, such as increased feelings of vigor. They recommended that future studies examine the effects of a higher number of administrations of LSD, as well as effects on individuals with clinical depression. [de Wit H, et al. Addiction Biology 2022; published online Feb 1; doi: 10.1111/adb.13143] ▪