With many antidepressants offering limited relief or unwanted side effects for some patients, researchers at the University of Auckland explored whether very small doses of LSD could be used safely alongside existing treatments.
The study published in Neuropharmacology followed a group of adults with moderate depression for eight weeks, asking them to take microdoses twice a week while clinicians monitored physical health, mood changes, and adherence.
Most participants were already on prescription antidepressants, and the study aimed primarily to test whether microdosing could be managed responsibly in a home-based setting.
Structured monitoring and participant experience
Volunteers began with an in-clinic dose before continuing at home using a smartphone app that logged daily reports and guided slow dose adjustments.
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The study incorporated heart scans, ECGs, blood tests, and interviews before and after the dosing period to evaluate safety.
A small number of participants left the trial, including one individual who experienced anxiety on dosing days. Mild headaches were the most frequent side effect.
Overall, clinicians reported no serious medical issues and found no meaningful changes in heart function across the group.
As the weeks progressed, many participants described shifts in mood and motivation.
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Clinical assessments showed reduced anxiety, lower stress levels, and fewer repetitive negative thoughts.
Several reported feeling more engaged in daily activities, and quality-of-life scores improved in multiple areas.
Encouraging but preliminary findings
By the end of the eight-week period, average scores on a standard depression scale had fallen notably, with a substantial portion of participants meeting criteria for remission.
Follow-up assessments suggested that these gains often persisted for several months.
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Researchers caution, however, that the open-label design means the study cannot determine whether LSD microdosing directly caused the improvements.
Even so, the combination of strong adherence, manageable side effects, and consistent symptom reductions has motivated the team to prepare a larger randomized trial that will compare LSD with placebo.
Sources: Medical Xpress, and Neuropharmacology.
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