LSD can trigger measurable structural changes in the brain of patients with depression. In a study, a research team from the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Lübeck, and the University of Lübeck has shown for the first time that two moderate to high doses of LSD are associated with improved white matter integrity in brain regions that are typically impaired in depression.

At the same time, the participants’ depressive symptoms improved over a period of twelve weeks. The results were published in the journal Cell Reports Medicine .

The researchers led by PD Dr. Mihai Avram and Prof. Dr. Stefan Borgwardt investigated the effect of LSD on the nerve fiber pathways that connect different brain regions. Previous studies had already pointed to neuroplastic effects of psychedelics, but direct evidence of structural changes in humans has been lacking until now.

The results suggest that LSD may strengthen the neural networks that play a role in processing emotions. However, the scientists emphasized that it has not yet been clearly clarified whether these changes are directly triggered by LSD or merely a consequence of the subsiding depression.

The study provides important clues to possible biological mechanisms of action of LSD in the treatment of depression and could contribute to the development of new therapeutic approaches in the long term. Further investigations are necessary to confirm the results and clarify the exact causal relationships.

Original Paper:

Neuroplastic white matter changes in patients with major depression following lysergic acid diethylamide treatment: Cell Reports Medicine

Editor: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR

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