The Use of Psychedelics in the Treatment of Adult ADHD: A Systematic and Mechanistic Review.
International journal of molecular sciences April 12, 2026 James Chmiel, Agnieszka Malinowska, Donata Kurpas
Interest in using psychedelics for ADHD has grown, but evidence remains scarce. A systematic review of five prospective studies—three naturalistic microdosing cohorts, one randomized placebo-controlled trial of low-dose LSD, and one ayahuasca retreat pilot—found that uncontrolled studies reported short-term symptom reductions and improved well-being, but these were highly vulnerable to expectancy and self-selection bias. The only randomized controlled trial showed improvement in both LSD and placebo groups, with no statistically significant advantage for LSD on ADHD outcomes. Current evidence does not separate pharmacological effects from contextual influences and is insufficient to support psychedelics as an evidence-based ADHD treatment.