Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry
February 18, 2026
Dimitri Henriques Daldegan-Bueno, C Donegan, Rachael L. Sumner et al.
1 citation
Taking very low doses of LSD (8 micrograms) repeatedly over a short period may temporarily improve mood in people with depression, though the effect needs confirmation in controlled experiments. The drug's behavior in the body was measured in this group, and no evidence of tolerance or increased sensitivity appeared, even when the dose was gradually increased.
Journal of Psychopharmacology
February 16, 2026
Marten Kase, Karl Kristjan Kaup, Jaan Aru
1 citation
A systematic review of 32 placebo-controlled studies from 1990 to 2025 examined the acute and post-acute effects of LSD, DMT, and psilocybin on cognitive and psychological functions. Psychedelics tended to enhance emotional empathy but had no effect on cognitive empathy. Effects on memory varied by task and timing, with some impairments, enhancements, or no change. Dose-dependent impairments occurred in reaction time, attention, and inhibition tasks, though some studies found no effects. Recognition of negative stimuli was impaired under acute effects. Findings on cognitive flexibility were mixed. Many studies had small samples, and finding a reliable placebo is challenging due to psychedelics' unique subjective effects.
Pharmacopsychiatry
February 5, 2026
Tianyi Xu, Sabrina Wong, Gia Han Le et al.
Lysergic acid diethylamide and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine activate the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2B receptor, a pathway known to cause drug-induced valvular heart disease. This systematic review of 17 studies found no research on psilocybin, dimethyltryptamine, or mescaline. Both lysergic acid diethylamide and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine show high or moderate affinity for this receptor and promote signaling linked to fibrotic changes in heart valve tissue. In vivo studies confirm serotonin-induced valvulopathy, and chronic 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine use has been associated with valve abnormalities in humans. No clinical cases of lysergic acid diethylamide-induced valvulopathy have been reported, but preclinical data suggest potential for fibrotic signaling under sustained exposure. Preliminary evidence supports the need for cardiac safety monitoring in psychedelic research.
February 3, 2026
Peter Moltke Skov-Andersen
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) alters brain activity in networks and structures involved in music processing, but these effects are largely unchanged by listening to music. In a functional magnetic resonance imaging study of 51 healthy participants given either 100 µg of LSD or a placebo, LSD reduced connectivity within the default mode and visual networks while increasing connectivity between various networks. It also altered functional connectivity of limbic and cortical structures related to music-induced emotion and decreased low-frequency oscillations in the occipital lobe and default mode network. Significant effects of music occurred only in the auditory cortex, and prior findings on music and psychedelics could not be replicated.
Psychiatry research
February 2, 2026
T Aboulafia-Brakha, A Buchard, C Mabilais et al.
1 citation
In a real-world clinical setting, a single session of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy with either LSD or psilocybin was well tolerated and linked to significant reductions in depression and anxiety among adults with treatment-resistant disorders. Symptoms improved substantially, with large effects for depression and moderate effects for anxiety. Cognitive changes included less self-blame, rumination, and catastrophizing, along with more positive refocusing and reappraisal. Adverse effects were mild and temporary, with no serious complications. The findings suggest that both substances can be effective and safe in specialized routine care.