Microdsoing LSD Proves Safe For For Alzheimer’s Disease So Far After Phase 1 Clinical Trial
In Brief
- The Facts:There have been many therapeutic benefits of psychedelic substances discovered over the past decade for using them potentially as a medicinal tool.
- Reflect On:Considering
how promising a lot of this research is, should the laws be lifted in
order to make
it easier for scientists to study the potential of these psychedelic substances?
Over
the course of the past decade or so, the study of psychedelic
substances such as psilocybin (the active ingredient in ‘magic
mushrooms’), MDMA, and LSD for treatment of various mental disorders has
gained a lot of traction. As the stigma lifts and the laws slowly shift
it leaves the door open for further studies into the potential of some
of these substances. Recently, new results have been published in one of
the first placebo-controlled clinical trials examining the therapeutic
benefits of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) and whether or not it could
be used as a treatment for those struggling with Alzheimer’s disease,
for which there is no known cure.
The research is still in its infancy
stage, but the Phase 1 trial discussed in this article is the first step
towards testing whether psychedelic microdose methods are safe enough
to garner a larger study down the road with direct treatment of
Alzheimer’s using microdoses of LSD.
The Study
The trial
involved 48 healthy older adults with an average age of 63. They were
randomly and blindly assigned to one of four different dosage groups
which included 5, 10, and 20μg of LSD or a placebo. Over the course of
three weeks subjects received a total of 6 doses. The doses were given
every four days.
The results suggest a safe and promising
path towards future research as no adverse effects were reported in any
of the four groups, during the three-week trial and the follow up
examinations one month later. They measured blood pressure, heart rate
and ECG – no abnormalities were detected.
“The study provides reassuring safety
data and opens the door for larger scale clinical trials to evaluate the
potential therapeutic effects of LSD,” says Robin Carhart-Harris, head of the Center for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London.
There have already been numerous studies
on the positive effects of psilocybin for the treatment of depression,
the FDA even recently granted it a Breakthrough Therapy status twice
this past year. Psilocybin and LSD work similarly in the brain, which is
why some scientists are testing the therapeutic benefits of LSD as
well.
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These substances work by stimulating the
serotonin 5-HT2A receptors in the brain. These brain receptors are
responsible for mediating cognitive function and disruption of these
neural processes have been implicated in early symptoms of Alzheimer’s
disease. They have also been linked to symptoms of anxiety and
depression.
“Our research with serotonin 5-HT2A
receptor agonists, such as LSD, suggest that they may represent a new
strategy to treat diseases associated with chronic inflammation,”
explains Charles Nichols, co-author of the new study.
“LSD’s unique polypharmacology may serve to enhance its capacity to
simultaneously modulate multiple key pathological processes in the brain
associated with Alzheimer’s disease, including neuroinflammation, that
are implicated in its progression from mild cognitive impairment.”
The question that is still unanswered in
the field of psychedelic research is whether or not consistent
microdoses of drugs such as LSD can actually improve mood and cognition.
There are numerous anecdotal reports that support the broad evidence of
psychedelic microdosing, but until now there hasn’t been any
placebo-controlled clinical trials on the subject.
The new
study reports findings from a trial which was conducted in the UK. The
goals of this Phase 1 clinical trial were simply to determine the safety
and tolerability of intermittent microdoses of LSD in healthy older
adults. This trial was meant to be a precursor to a larger Phase 2 trial
on the efficacy of treatment for Alzheimer’s using microdoses of LSD,
so we will see what happens.
Final Thoughts
The results are certainly premature in
discovering whether or not LSD can be a potential treatment for
Alzheimer’s disease, but at least there is some headway. The potential
benefits of these psychedelic substances are largely unknown, but have
provided some very promising results for multiple different ailments
specifically involving the brain. The future is friendly for psychedelic
substances as the stigma continues to be lifted and many scientists
working in the field of treatment for mental health issues are starting
to see how beneficial these drugs can be for medicinal use.
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