Psychopharmacology
October 24, 2018
Luisa Prochazkova, Dominique P. Lippelt, Lorenza S. Colzato et al.
181 citations
Microdosing psychedelics may enhance cognitive performance by improving the balance between cognitive persistence and flexibility, according to preliminary quantitative findings. The authors speculate that psychedelics affect cognitive metacontrol policies, optimizing this balance. However, they emphasize that future research with rigorous placebo-controlled designs is needed to confirm these initial results. The study provides support for cognitive-enhancing properties but remains preliminary.
Journal of Psychopharmacology
December 17, 2021
Josephine Marschall, George Fejer, Pascal Lempe et al.
69 citations
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject crossover study, psilocybin microdosing (a sub-hallucinogenic dose taken every third day) did not alter emotion processing, symptoms of anxiety or depression, or self-reported interoceptive awareness compared with placebo. Exploratory analyses showed that symptoms of depression and stress were significantly reduced in the first block compared with baseline, but participants broke blind in the second block, and there was no effect of expectations. The authors call for further research in a substance-naïve population with clinical-range anxiety and depressive symptoms to substantiate potential beneficial effects.
June 14, 2021
Luisa Prochazkova, Michiel van Elk, Josephine Marschall et al.
4 citations
preprint
Microdosing psychedelic truffles increased the quality of divergent thinking, measured as the ratio of original responses to total responses on the Alternative Uses Task, in a pooled analysis of three double-blind placebo-controlled trials with 175 participants. The unadjusted originality score was significantly higher only when relative dosage (dose per body weight) was considered. No effects were found on convergent thinking or other divergent-thinking scores. The effects were subtle and persisted after controlling for expectation and demographic biases. The findings underscore the importance of controlling for placebo effects and prior psychedelic experience in microdosing research.
Neuropharmacology
October 17, 2025
Luisa Prochazkova, Josephine Marschall, Dominique P. Lippelt et al.
3 citations
Microdosing psilocybin truffles does not reliably enhance cognitive or emotional functioning beyond a placebo. In two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials conducted in semi-naturalistic settings, microdosing did not significantly affect behavioral or subjective measures compared to placebo. Some initial effects on social cognition, mood, and self-reported cognitive flexibility were observed but did not remain significant after correcting for multiple comparisons. Participants predominantly reported positive subjective experiences regardless of condition, though negative bodily feelings were enhanced in the active condition. Participants remained effectively blinded throughout the trials.
Neuropharmacology
November 2, 2025
Luisa Prochazkova, Josephine Marschall, Michiel van Elk et al.
2 citations
Microdosing psilocybin from truffles modestly improved the quality of divergent thinking—specifically the ratio of original responses to total responses—in a pooled analysis of three double-blind, placebo-controlled trials with 171 participants. The effect on unadjusted originality was significant only when dosage relative to body weight was considered, and it remained after controlling for dose guess and demographic biases. No effects were found on other measures of divergent thinking or on convergent thinking. The findings underscore the need to account for placebo effects and prior psychedelic experience when evaluating microdosing claims.
June 16, 2025
Rita Kočárová, Luisa Prochazkova, Michaela Plevková
Psychedelics can significantly enhance creativity, with a study revealing that 75% of participants reported increased artistic inspiration after using substances like psilocybin. In a sample of 100 individuals, those who engaged in creative tasks post-psychedelic use scored 30% higher on measures of originality compared to a control group. This intersection of psychology and art suggests that psychedelics may unlock new levels of creative potential, providing insights into the cognitive processes that drive artistic expression and innovation.