bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
January 29, 2026
Venkatesh Subramani, Timothy Nest, Annalisa Pascarella et al.
1 citation
LSD alters brain activity by increasing alpha and beta brain-wave frequencies while genuinely reducing oscillatory power, with these effects showing distinct cortical patterns. The drug also flattens the aperiodic 1/f spectral slope and increases neural signal fractality and complexity, particularly in sensory, language, emotion, and imagery-related networks, while sparing motor cortex. Machine learning identified peak-frequency shifts, aperiodic parameters, and complexity measures as key discriminators of the psychedelic state. Music did not amplify these neural signatures and showed a trend toward attenuation. These findings provide a comprehensive account of how LSD reorganizes large-scale human brain dynamics.
International Journal of Innovative Technologies in Social Science
January 23, 2026
Jakub Klepacz, Radosław Swędrak, Marzena Swojnóg et al.
Classical serotonergic hallucinogens like psilocybin and LSD are being re-evaluated in clinical research. A systematic review traces their history from indigenous use through prohibition to current trials. The compounds act via 5-HT2A receptor agonism and disrupt the Default Mode Network, which may help alleviate rigid cognitive patterns in depression and anxiety. Clinical data show significant therapeutic potential for Treatment-Resistant Depression, end-of-life distress, and substance use disorders. The review emphasizes that psychedelic-assisted therapy requires a specific psychotherapeutic framework, integration processes, and attention to cost-effectiveness and access equity. This approach suggests a shift from chronic symptom management to rapid, episodic curative interventions if regulatory and ethical challenges are addressed.
Veterinary sciences
January 19, 2026
Elisa Hernández-Álvarez, Cristina Canino-Quijada, Sira Roiz et al.
Giving shelter dogs a low dose of 1cp-LSD (a legal LSD-like compound) alongside behavioral therapy improves their sociability, calmness, and positive emotional reactivity more than either treatment alone. Twenty dogs were randomly assigned to receive the drug, ethological intervention, both, or neither. The combined treatment produced benefits that lasted for three weeks after the sessions ended. These results offer early evidence that integrating low-dose psychedelics with behavioral therapy could help reduce stress and anxiety in shelter dogs, though larger studies are needed to confirm safety and effectiveness.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
January 13, 2026
James Glazer, Hanna Molla, Royce Lee et al.
A low dose of LSD (26 micrograms) altered brain responses to reward feedback in people with mild-to-moderate depression, compared to those without depression. In depressed participants, LSD increased a brain signal called the late positive potential (LPP) when they received loss feedback, suggesting enhanced emotional processing of rewards. This change was linked to immediate positive mood and lower depressed mood two days later. Across all participants, LSD reduced other reward-related brain signals. The findings cautiously support the idea that low-dose LSD may have antidepressant effects.
Palliative & Supportive Care
January 1, 2026
Fiona Cottam, Alesha Wells, Cerys Clayden et al.
Participating in trials of psychedelic-assisted meaning-centered psychotherapy (MCP) may provide hope for both cancer patients and their caregivers. Because the well-being of patients and caregivers is interconnected, the authors argue that caregivers should be included alongside patients in these clinical trials.
FOCUS The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry
January 1, 2026
Tyler Durns, Greg Iannuzzi
Psilocybin, LSD, and MDMA have regained attention for their potential psychiatric benefits, but their effects on aggression and violence are not well understood. This review examines the historical, medical, legal, and cultural contexts of these compounds, along with how substance type, dose, set and setting, psychiatric comorbidity, and environmental factors influence violence risk. It discusses prevention and response strategies such as harm reduction, risk assessment, and treatment. The article concludes that individual risk factors mediating violence for users of these substances require further research.
Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology
January 1, 2026
Kristian Beichmann, Polina Catzeflis, Helena D Aicher et al.
In Switzerland, physicians provide psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) with psilocybin, LSD, or MDMA under case-by-case exemptions from the Federal Office of Public Health. An anonymous survey of 41 physicians found that PAT is used mainly for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and chronic pain. Most physicians work in private practices (82%) and use body-oriented (61%), psychodynamic (59%), and eclectic (54%) approaches. Psilocybin is the most used substance (85%), followed by MDMA (71%) and LSD (65.9%). Substance choice is linked to diagnosis: psilocybin for depression (54%) and substance use disorder (46%), MDMA for PTSD (86%) and anxiety (54%). Music is played in 90% of sessions. Group therapy is common; 42% provide both individual and group settings. Challenges include legal constraints, high patient expectations, and financial barriers.
Therapeutic advances in drug safety
January 1, 2026
Ovie Martin Albert, Alexander Arthur
Human evidence on prenatal exposure to psychedelics such as MDMA, LSD, and mescaline is sparse and methodologically limited. A scoping review of 23 primary human studies (1968–2020) found no eligible pregnancy outcome studies for psilocybin or DMT/ayahuasca. The available evidence, mostly small cohorts and case reports, is constrained by self-reported exposure, polysubstance use, and inconsistent outcome definitions. Clinicians should counsel patients with explicit acknowledgment of uncertainty while supporting harm reduction. The absence of data for several substances should not be interpreted as evidence of safety, and structured pharmacovigilance is needed as therapeutic psychedelic research expands.
Cureus
January 1, 2026
Mohsin Raza, Jasleen Kaur
Psychedelic-assisted therapies are gaining renewed scientific and clinical interest in psychiatry, especially for treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorders. Compounds like psilocybin and MDMA show promising therapeutic effects in controlled clinical trials when used within structured psychotherapeutic frameworks. Neurobiological evidence suggests these agents may promote neural plasticity and enhance cognitive and emotional flexibility, potentially leading to durable clinical improvement. However, significant challenges remain, including regulatory uncertainty, methodological limitations in trials, ethical concerns about patient vulnerability, and equitable access. The editorial highlights both the therapeutic potential and critical considerations for responsible integration into mental health care.
Forensic science international
January 1, 2026
Isabella Ferreira Melo, Leociley Rocha Alencar Menezes, Philippe Rodrigues Benedetti et al.
Between 2014 and 2024, forensic analysis of 4911 seized synthetic drug samples (1656 blotter papers and 3255 ecstasy tablets) from Paraná, Brazil, identified 64 distinct chemical substances, 50 of which were new psychoactive substances (NPS). The most common compounds were central nervous system stimulants, particularly phenethylamines. In ecstasy tablets, MDA predominated, while blotter papers most often contained NBOH series compounds. LSD identifications in blotters progressively increased, whereas NPS identifications decreased over time. Most seizures occurred in the state capital, Curitiba, with fewer in border regions. The chemical profile proved diverse and resilient, and the decline in NPS coincided with stricter national and international legislative controls.
Figshare
January 1, 2026
Kristian Larsen
LSD and psilocybin produce distinct changes in cerebral blood flow and global functional connectivity across the human brain. Peak drug effects were observed in both measures, and within-subject associations between blood flow and connectivity were assessed using Spearman's rank correlation. The findings characterize how these hallucinogens alter brain activity at the population level in healthy participants.
Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews
January 1, 2026
Netta Pinhas, Nofar Eidlman, Avigail Barnea et al.
2 citations
Microdosing—taking very low doses of psychedelics like psilocybin or LSD without full-blown effects—has been promoted as a way to boost thinking skills. A meta-analysis of 14 studies with 1,614 participants found that microdosing actually reduced cognitive control, with no improvement in other cognitive domains. The type of substance, dose, or duration of microdosing did not change this result, and effects were similar whether measured while on the drug or after. This suggests microdosing may disrupt top-down cognitive control, consistent with models of how psychedelics reduce mental rigidity. More research is needed to separate temporary drug effects from lasting changes.
Figshare
January 1, 2026
Kristian Larsen
LSD occupies the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) and alters global functional connectivity in healthy human participants. The figure shows occupancy and connectivity effects for both LSD and psilocybin. Acquisition, preprocessing, and statistical modeling procedures were pre-registered and detailed in a study protocol.
Current topics in behavioral neurosciences
January 1, 2026
Tomislav Majić, Euphrosyne Gouzoulis‐mayfrank, Ricarda Evens
2 citations
Classic psychedelics like psilocybin, LSD, and 5-MeO-DMT show promise for treating mental health conditions, but enthusiastic media coverage has led to increased non-clinical use and more complications. While these substances have low toxicity and low addiction potential, their risks are often overlooked by mental health professionals, mirroring historical patterns with other psychoactive drugs. The effects unfold in acute, subacute, and long-term phases, essential for understanding both therapeutic use and risks. This overview classifies complications associated with classic psychedelics, examines causal attribution of disorders to their use, and discusses placement in diagnostic systems, aiming to maximize benefits and minimize harms in research and therapy.
Neuroscience Applied
January 1, 2026
A. Fernandez Ribas, V. Pérez Rodríguez, M. Paduraru
Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD) affects 1-5% of psychedelic users, with higher rates among recurrent LSD consumers and synthetic cannabinoid users. The disorder involves persistent visual disturbances such as palinopsia and visual snow, linked to 5-HT2A receptor dysfunction and visual cortex hyperactivation. About 20% of cases become chronic, often tied to early onset and polysubstance use. A 16-year-old developed HPPD after a second LSD use, with visual snow, micropsia, and altered object outlines that were episodic and triggered by trauma-related situations, causing significant distress and suicidal ideation. Levetiracetam initially helped but symptoms worsened after cannabis relapse; restarting Levetiracetam with abstinence led to good functional recovery, though visual snow persisted mildly.