Microdose of LSD may lift depression mood, early trial hints

NCT ID NCT07017478

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 10, 2026 · Last updated Jul 10, 2026

Summary

This study tests whether a very low dose of LSD (26 micrograms) can improve mood in people with depression compared to a placebo. Researchers measure mood changes, sleep quality, and brain activity using EEG. The trial involves 41 adults with depression and aims to see if this approach offers a new way to ease symptoms.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a new, low-dose treatment for depression that improves mood and sleep without the intense effects of higher doses.
What could go wrong
This is an early, small study (41 people) testing a single low dose. The effects may be weak or not last, and LSD can cause anxiety or discomfort even at low doses.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Early phase 1

The earliest testing in people: a first look at safety, in a very small group.

Participants

41 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Jun 2025

Finished

Jun 2026

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 40 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * English Fluency * high school education or higher * BMI between 19-30 kg/m2 Exclusion Criteria: * individuals with a medical condition contraindicating study participation as determined by the study physician (e.g., liver disease, abnormal EKG, liver or cardiovascular disease) * high blood pressure (\>140/90) * current suicidal ideation or suicide attempt in past 12 months * past year severe substance use disorder * personal or first-degree relative with history of psychosis * currently taking any psychiatric medication (for conventional antidepressants must be off for ≥ 2 weeks) * active panic disorder * severe obsessive-compulsive disorder * severe post-traumatic stress disorder * women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of Chicago

    Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States

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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.