The effects of microdose LSD on time perception: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
In a randomised, double‑blind, placebo‑controlled trial in older adults, oral microdoses of LSD (5, 10, 20 μg) produced reliable over‑reproduction (temporal dilation) of intervals ≥2000 ms, most pronounced at 10 μg, despite no robust subjective changes in perception, mentation or concentration. Hierarchical regression indicated this suprasecond timing effect was independent of marginal self‑reported drug effects, suggesting a direct influence of microdose LSD on interval timing.
Authors
- Devin Terhune
- Neiloufar Family
- Luke Williams
Published
Abstract
Rationale
Previous research demonstrating that lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) produces alterations in time perception has implications for its impact on conscious states and a range of psychological functions that necessitate precise interval timing. However, interpretation of this research is hindered by methodological limitations and an inability to dissociate direct neurochemical effects on interval timing from indirect effects attributable to altered states of consciousness.
Methods
We conducted a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study contrasting oral administration of placebo with three microdoses of LSD (5, 10, and 20 μg) in older adults. Subjective drug effects were regularly recorded and interval timing was assessed using a temporal reproduction task spanning subsecond and suprasecond intervals.
Results
LSD conditions were not associated with any robust changes in self-report indices of perception, mentation, or concentration. LSD reliably produced over-reproduction of temporal intervals of 2000 ms and longer with these effects most pronounced in the 10 μg dose condition. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that LSD-mediated over-reproduction was independent of marginal differences in self-reported drug effects across conditions.
Conclusions
These results suggest that microdose LSD produces temporal dilation of suprasecond intervals in the absence of subjective alterations of consciousness.
Research Summary of 'The effects of microdose LSD on time perception: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial'
Introduction
Perception of time is central to moment-to-moment consciousness and to cognitive functions that rely on precise interval timing, and distortions of interval timing are common across altered states of consciousness and some psychiatric disorders. Earlier human studies report that lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and related serotonergic psychedelics alter subjective time perception and performance on behavioural timing tasks, but many of these studies lack placebo control, randomisation, sufficiently small doses or adequate trial numbers, which limits interpretation. A further unresolved issue is whether drug-induced distortions of timing arise from direct neurochemical effects on timing systems or indirectly from broader alterations in conscious experience produced by psychedelic doses. Yanakieva and colleagues addressed this gap by using microdoses of LSD (< 20 µg) to attempt partial dissociation of direct neurochemical effects from overt changes in consciousness. The study used a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled design in healthy older adults to test whether single microdoses of LSD (5, 10 and 20 µg) affect interval timing on a temporal reproduction task spanning subsecond and suprasecond intervals (800–4000 ms), administered roughly 3 h after dosing. The authors contrasted behavioural timing outcomes with repeated self-report measures of subjective drug effects to determine whether any timing changes were independent of altered conscious states.
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Study Details
- Study Typeindividual
- Journal
- Compound
- Topics
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- APA Citation
Yanakieva, S., Polychroni, N., Family, N., Williams, L. T. J., Luke, D. P., & Terhune, D. B. (2019). The effects of microdose LSD on time perception: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Psychopharmacology, 236(4), 1159-1170. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-018-5119-x
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