LSD Therapy for Persons Suffering From Major Depression

Background: Major Depressive Disorder is one of the most prevalent mental illnesses, leading to substantial personal distress and economical consequences. Pharmacological Treatment is limited and relapse is frequent.

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) was extensively investigated in humans in the 1950s and 1960s and was shown to attenuate depressive symptoms. Clinical research with LSD ended in the 1970s due to regulatory restrictions but its use for personal and recreational purposes continued. In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in the use of hallucinogens in psychiatric research and practices, reconsidering LSD’s antidepressant potential. Larger, well-designed and placebo-controlled studies are warranted. This study will evaluate the potential benefits of LSD-assisted psychotherapy in patients suffering from Major Depressive Disorder.

Objective: To test the efficacy of LSD in patients with Major Depressive Disorder.

Design: Randomised, double-blind, active-placebo-controlled trial using either two moderate to high doses of LSD (100 µg and 100 µg or 100 µg and 200 µg) as intervention and two low doses of LSD (25 µg and 25 µg) as active-placebo control.

Participants: 60 patients aged > 25 years with Major Depressive Disorder (according to DSM-V).

Main outcome measures: Change in depressive symptomatology (IDS-SR, BDI), anxiety (STAI), and general psychopathology (SCL-90) compared with active-placebo-assisted psychotherapy.

Topic Depression
Compound Placebo LSD
Country Switzerland
Visit trial
Status Completed
Results Published No
Start date 11 January 2019
End date 01 December 2022
Chance of happening 100%
Phase Phase II
Design Blinded
Type Interventional
Generation First
Participants 60
Sex All
Age 25- 99
Therapy Yes

Trial Details

Background: Major Depressive Disorder is one of the most prevalent mental illnesses, leading to substantial personal distress and economical consequences. Pharmacological Treatment is limited and relapse is frequent. Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) was extensively investigated in humans in the 1950s and 1960s and was shown to attenuate depressive symptoms. Clinical research with LSD ended in the 1970s due to regulatory restrictions but its use for personal and recreational purposes continued. In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in the use of hallucinogens in psychiatric research and practices, reconsidering LSD's antidepressant potential. Larger, well-designed and placebo-controlled studies are warranted. This study will evaluate the potential benefits of LSD-assisted psychotherapy in patients suffering from Major Depressive Disorder. Objective: To test the efficacy of LSD in patients with Major Depressive Disorder. Design: Randomised, double-blind, active-placebo-controlled trial using either two moderate to high doses of LSD (100 µg and 100 µg or 100 µg and 200 µg) as intervention and two low doses of LSD (25 µg and 25 µg) as active-placebo control. Participants: 60 patients aged > 25 years with Major Depressive Disorder (according to DSM-V). Main outcome measures: Change in depressive symptomatology (IDS-SR, BDI), anxiety (STAI), and general psychopathology (SCL-90) compared with active-placebo-assisted psychotherapy.

NCT Number NCT03866252

Sponsors & Collaborators

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

Measures Used

Beck Depression Inventory
The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) contains 21 self-report items, completed using a multiple-choice format. Scores range from 0-63 with higher scores associated with more severe depression.

State-Trait Anxiety Inventory
The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) is a commonly used measure of trait and state anxiety. The STAI measures two types of anxiety – state anxiety, anxiety about an event, and trait anxiety, anxiety level as a personal characteristic.

Data attribution

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