This double-blind cross-over trial (n=16) found that LSD (200μg) led to positive well-being/life-satisfaction scores up to 12 months later. The subjects experienced it as one of the top 10 most meaningful experiences (70%) in their lives.

Abstract of Long-lasting subjective effects of LSD in normal subjects

“Rationale: Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and other serotonergic hallucinogens can induce profound alterations of consciousness and mystical-type experiences, with reportedly long-lasting effects on subjective well-being and personality.

Methods: We investigated the lasting effects of a single dose of LSD (200 μg) that was administered in a laboratory setting in 16 healthy participants. The following outcome measures were assessed before and 1 and 12 months after LSD administration: Persisting Effects Questionnaire (PEQ), Mysticism Scale (MS), Death Transcendence Scale (DTS), NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).

Results: On the PEQ, positive attitudes about life and/or self, positive mood changes, altruistic/positive social effects, positive behavioral changes, and well-being/life satisfaction significantly increased at 1 and 12 months and were subjectively attributed by the subjects to the LSD experience. Five-Dimensions of Altered States of Consciousness (5D-ASC) total scores, reflecting acutely induced alterations in consciousness, and Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30) total scores correlated with changes in well-being/life satisfaction 12 months after LSD administration. No changes in negative attitudes, negative mood, antisocial/negative social effects, or negative behavior were attributed to the LSD experience. After 12 months, 10 of 14 participants rated their LSD experience as among the top 10 most meaningful experiences in their lives. Five participants rated the LSD experience among the five most spiritually meaningful experiences in their lives. On the MS and DTS, ratings of mystical experiences significantly increased 1 and 12 months after LSD administration compared with the pre-LSD screening. No relevant changes in personality measures were found.

Conclusions: In healthy research subjects, the administration of a single dose of LSD (200 μg) in a safe setting was subjectively considered a personally meaningful experience that had long-lasting subjective positive effects.”

Authors: Yasmin Schmid & Matthias E. Liechti

Notes on Long-lasting subjective effects of LSD in normal subjects

Although the study did find many effects as noted above, there were no relevant changes in personality structure. Something that many studies (e.g. Griffiths et al. 2011) had previously found.

Summary of Long-lasting subjective effects of LSD in normal subjects

Classic hallucinogens act on serotonin 5-HT2A receptors to produce their psychotropic effects. They are used for recreational, personal/spiritual, and therapeutic purposes.

LSD has been associated with positive health outcomes in patients with anxiety, depression, and substance use disorder, as well as self-reported lasting effects on values, attitudes, personality, and well-being in normal subjects.

LSD clinical research has only recently been restarted, and the only recent study on lasting effects of LSD was conducted in 20 healthy subjects. Psilocybin clinical research has been conducted in 129 healthy subjects and 105 patients, and has shown to induce persisting positive changes in attitudes, social effects, mood, life satisfaction, behavior, and trait openness. Hallucinogens such as psilocybin have been shown to induce profound insights and mystical-type experiences in healthy participants, which have been correlated with lasting changes after psilocybin administration.

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Find this paper

Long-lasting subjective effects of LSD in normal subjects

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-017-4733-3

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Cite this paper (APA)

Schmid, Y., & Liechti, M. E. (2018). Long-lasting subjective effects of LSD in normal subjects. Psychopharmacology, 235, 535-545.

Study details

Compounds studied
LSD

Topics studied
Healthy Subjects

Study characteristics
Original Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind Within-Subject Randomized

Participants
16 Humans

Authors

Authors associated with this publication with profiles on Blossom

Matthias Liechti
Matthias Emanuel Liechti is the research group leader at the Liechti Lab at the University of Basel.

Institutes

Institutes associated with this publication

University of Basel
The University of Basel Department of Biomedicine hosts the Liechti Lab research group, headed by Matthias Liechti.

Compound Details

The psychedelics given at which dose and how many times

LSD 200 μg | 1x

Linked Clinical Trial

Psychological, Physiological, Endocrine, and Pharmacokinetic Effects of LSD in a Controlled Study
The purpose of this study is to characterize the acute psychological, physiological, endocrine, and pharmacokinetic, as well as long-term psychological effects of LSD in humans.