A new study has found that a single dose of LSD may help reduce anxiety symptoms in people with moderate to severe anxiety, and the benefits can last for up to three months.
The research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), adds to growing interest in using psychedelic drugs to treat mental health conditions.
The study involved nearly 200 patients who had significant anxiety symptoms. They were given different doses of LSD or a placebo, and their anxiety levels were tracked for 12 weeks.
After just four weeks, people who took the two highest doses of LSD showed the biggest improvements in their anxiety compared to those who received smaller doses or the placebo.
Even 12 weeks later, 65% of those who took the highest dose—100 micrograms—still had lower anxiety levels. Nearly half of those patients were considered to be in remission, meaning their symptoms were no longer severe enough to meet the criteria for an anxiety disorder.
Dr. Maurizio Fava, the lead author of the study and chief psychiatrist at Mass General Brigham Hospital in Boston, said that while some people may eventually need another dose, the fact that a single dose could have such a long-lasting effect is impressive. Fava is also an adviser to MindMed, the company developing this drug.
One important detail about this study is that it did not include hours of talk therapy, which is common in other psychedelic studies. Instead, patients took LSD under the supervision of medical professionals. This helped researchers better understand whether LSD alone was responsible for the improvements.
However, the study had a few challenges. Most participants were able to guess whether they had taken LSD or the placebo, which can affect the reliability of the results.
In scientific research, this is known as “blinding,” and it’s an important part of making sure the outcomes aren’t influenced by participants’ expectations. Also, some people dropped out of the study early, which meant that fewer people were included in the final analysis.
Side effects reported by patients included hallucinations, nausea, and headaches. Despite these effects, no serious safety issues were reported during the trial.
MindMed is now running two larger clinical trials to confirm the results. If the upcoming studies continue to show positive outcomes, the company plans to apply for approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Dr. Fava noted that while LSD has been known for decades, MindMed is the first company to seriously explore its potential as a medical treatment for anxiety.
Interest in psychedelics has increased in recent years. Researchers are studying how drugs like psilocybin (found in magic mushrooms), MDMA (also known as ecstasy), and now LSD can help people with mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
The FDA has already given “breakthrough therapy” status to several of these substances, including LSD, to speed up research and review.
Anxiety disorders are common, with about 3% of adults in the U.S. affected by generalized anxiety disorder, according to the National Institutes of Health. Current treatments often include therapy and medications, but many people do not get full relief. This new research suggests that psychedelics like LSD might offer another option in the future.
The study is published in JAMA.
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