Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for alcoholism: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Journal of Psychopharmacology – March 08, 2012
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
A single dose of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) significantly reduces alcohol misuse, with a notable odds ratio of 1.96 from a meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials involving 536 participants. This suggests that LSD can effectively support alcoholism treatment programs. The analysis showed negligible variability in treatment effects across trials, indicating consistent results. By influencing neurotransmitter receptors, LSD may enhance psychological interventions, offering a promising avenue in clinical psychology and psychiatry for addressing alcohol dependence.
Abstract
Assessments of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in the treatment of alcoholism have not been based on quantitative meta-analysis. Hence, we performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in order to evaluate the clinical efficacy of LSD in the treatment of alcoholism. Two reviewers independently extracted the data, pooling the effects using odds ratios (ORs) by a generic inverse variance, random effects model. We identified six eligible trials, including 536 participants. There was evidence for a beneficial effect of LSD on alcohol misuse (OR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.36–2.84; p = 0.0003). Between-trial heterogeneity for the treatment effects was negligible (I 2 = 0%). Secondary outcomes, risk of bias and limitations are discussed. A single dose of LSD, in the context of various alcoholism treatment programs, is associated with a decrease in alcohol misuse.