Low-Dose LSD Alters Early and Late Event-Related Potentials to Emotional Faces.
Connor J Haggarty, Hanna Molla, James Glazer, Ilaria Tare, Alex N. Rains, Harriet de Wit, Royce Lee
Psychedelic Medicine December 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1089/psymed.2024.0005 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Double-blind Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 39 |
| Population | Healthy young adults |
| Intervention | Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) |
| Dose | 26 µg |
| Duration | Single dose, separated by at least 7 days between sessions |
| Topics | LSD |
| Keywords | Social-cognition EEG Faces Low dose Psychedelics Brain-imaging Emotion-perception |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | LSD reduced the amplitude of the N170 ERP to neutral faces and the P300 ERP to neutral and happy faces, but not to angry faces. |
Abstract
Despite widespread popular interest in the use of low doses of Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) to improve mood, little is known about how these doses affect emotional processing in the brain. In this study, we tested the effect of a single low dose of LSD (26 µg) compared with placebo on electroencephalogram (EEG) event-related potentials (ERP: N170, P300 and Mismatch Negativity) in healthy adults, while participants viewed angry, happy, and neutral faces. We hypothesized that the drug might affect either neutral faces, which are sometimes perceived as threatening, or emotional faces. Healthy young adults (n = 39) received LSD (26 µg or placebo sublingually) before completing an oddball task with emotional facial expressions during EEG recording. The N170 and P300 evoked potentials were recorded using EEG. LSD and placebo were administered in double-blind, randomized order separated by at least 7 days. During the oddball task, three emotional faces were presented infrequently (angry, happy, neutral) in a block design, and a cartoon face was presented frequently. LSD significantly reduced the amplitude of the occipitotemporal N170 ERP to Neutral faces, but not angry or happy faces. LSD also reduced the amplitude of the midline posterior parietal P300 ERP to neutral and happy faces, but not angry faces. These differential effects of LSD on the amplitude of the N170 and P300 to neutral and emotional faces add to our understanding of how low doses of LSD might affect the brain response to social and emotional information.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on LSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety and Efficacy of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide-Assisted Psychotherapy for Anxiety Associated With Life-threatening Diseases Patients with anxiety associated with life-threatening diseases | 2014 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 12 |
| Dose-Response Study of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine in Humans Experienced hallucinogen users | 1994 | Double-blind, saline placebo-controlled, randomized study | n = 12 |
| Acute Effects of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in Healthy Subjects Healthy subjects (8 women, 8 men) | 2014 | Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study | n = 16 |
| Changes in global and thalamic brain connectivity in LSD-induced altered states of consciousness are attributable to the 5-HT2A receptor Healthy human participants | 2018 | Double-blind, randomized, counterbalanced, cross-over study | n = 24 |
| LSD-induced entropic brain activity predicts subsequent personality change. Healthy adults | 2016 | Balanced-order, placebo-controlled study | n = 19 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
Cites 26
- The Standardized Psychometric Assessment of Altered States of Consciousness (ASCs) in Humans Pharmacopsychiatry July 1, 1998
- Psychedelics promote neuroplasticity through the activation of intracellular 5-HT2A receptors Science February 16, 2023
- Crystal structure of an LSD-bound human serotonin receptor Cell January 26, 2017
- Activation of Serotonin 2A Receptors Underlies the Psilocybin-Induced Effects on Oscillations, N170 Visual-Evoked Potentials, and Visual Hallucinations Journal of Neuroscience June 19, 2013
- Psilocybin-Induced Decrease in Amygdala Reactivity Correlates with Enhanced Positive Mood in Healthy Volunteers Biological Psychiatry April 26, 2014
and 21 more in the library