Microdose of LSD may lift depression mood, early trial hints
NCT ID NCT07017478
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 Hide 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
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Role of self-focused attention in depression
- Project QUIT+: adapting and testing a smoking cessation intervention for transgender and gender expansive individuals
- Can a nudge toward healthy habits boost an online depression and anxiety program?
- Targeting the brain's reward system: a new test for depression treatment
- Can brain activity reveal why some people with depression lose motivation and pleasure?