Effects of Psychedelics Lysergic Acid Diethylamide and R (–)-2,5-Dimethoxy-4-Iodoamphetamine on Oral Opioid Consumption and Naloxone-Precipitated Withdrawal in Male C57Bl/6J Mice
Psychedelic Medicine March 28, 2026 Levi Neal, Hannah E. Shaw, Brenda M. Gannon et al.
A single dose of the psychedelics LSD or DOI did not reduce opioid consumption or withdrawal signs in mice that had become dependent on fentanyl analogs. Mice drinking water avoided the bitter taste of quinine, but mice consuming fentanyl solutions continued drinking despite the adulteration, a behavior unchanged by psychedelic treatment. Fifteen days later, neither LSD nor DOI altered naloxone-precipitated jumping or restlessness, but both drugs lessened withdrawal-associated heightened sensitivity to heat. These results do not support a single psychedelic exposure as a treatment for opioid use disorder, though they suggest possible persistent effects on pain perception during withdrawal.