Neuropsychologists at The Netherlands' Maastricht University and their colleagues report that microdoses of LSD can increase mood and cognition. In their double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 24 participants, the researchers administered doses of 0-20 micrograms of LSD. A typical full trip dose of LSD is around 100mcg. From their scientific paper in the journal European Neuropsychopharmacology:
The main objective of the present dose-finding study was to determine the minimal dose of LSD needed to affect mood and cognition. A placebo-controlled within-subject study including 24 healthy participants, was conducted to assess the acute effects of three LSD doses (5, 10, and 20 mcg) on measures of cognition, mood, and subjective experience, up until 6 h after administration. Cognition and subjective experience were assessed using the Psychomotor Vigilance Task, Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Cognitive Control Task, Profile of Mood States, and 5-Dimensional Altered States of Consciousness rating scale. LSD showed positive effects in the majority of observations by increasing positive mood (20 mcg), friendliness (5, 20 mcg), arousal (5 mcg), and decreasing attentional lapses (5, 20 mcg). Negative effects manifested as an increase in confusion (20 mcg) and anxiety (5, 20 mcg). Psychedelic-induced changes in waking consciousness were also present (10, 20 mcg). Overall, the present study demonstrated selective, beneficial effects of low doses of LSD on mood and cognition in the majority of observations.
image: detail of photo print on LSD blotter paper by Roger Steffens/The Family Acid, available at Ozma Records
