The effects of psilocybin on time perception in humans: A comparative analysis of subjective and objective measures
This double-blind placebo-controlled trial (n=24) found that psilocybin changed how healthy volunteers perceived time, making intervals seem slower and less precise on an objective timing task. These effects matched participants’ own reports of time slowing down and were most evident for durations longer than 2 seconds.
Authors
- Scholle, P.
- Wenke, Š.
- Nekovářová, T.
Published
Abstract
Background
Although psychedelics have regained attention as potential treatment tools for various mental disorders, little research has examined their impact on temporal perception.
Aims
This double-blinded placebo-controlled study aimed to investigate changes in temporal perception under psilocybin, both through performance during the Temporal Bisection Task (TBT) and through subjective self-report scales.
Methods
Twenty-four healthy volunteers were assessed by comparing their performance on two parameters of the TBT -the Bisection Point (BP) and the Just Noticeable Difference (JND) with subjectively reported changes measured using the Hallucinogen Rating Scale (HRS) and the Altered States of Consciousness (ASC) questionnaires.
Results
We observed a rightward shift in BP under psilocybin compared to placebo (t(23) = 2.27, p = 0.033, g = -0.37). This shift corresponded to reports of subjective time slowing down under psilocybin as measured by HRS and ASC. Psilocybin also increased JND compared to placebo (t(23) = 2.48, p = 0.021, g = -0.47), indicating decreased temporal precision. Consistent with previous findings, these effects were significant for durations longer than 2 seconds.
Conclusions
Based on Bayesian framework of timing, we emphasised that psilocybin alters time perception through disruptions in cognitive functions, particularly working memory and attention. We also outlined directions for future research, which would allow us to not only understand time perception under psychedelics better, but help elucidate the role of serotonergic system on timing.
Research Summary of 'The effects of psilocybin on time perception in humans: A comparative analysis of subjective and objective measures'
Introduction
Psilocybin has regained scientific and clinical interest, but its effects on temporal perception in humans remain relatively under-studied. Earlier psychedelic research had shown that psychedelics can alter the experience of time, yet most human work on psilocybin had relied on temporal reproduction or production tasks, leaving it unclear whether similar effects would appear in a temporal bisection task, which places different demands on memory, attention and motor responding. The authors also note that the role of the serotonergic system in timing is still uncertain, and that subjective reports of altered time perception had not been compared directly with objective task performance in this context. Scholle and colleagues therefore aimed to test whether psilocybin changes time perception in healthy volunteers as measured both objectively and subjectively. Specifically, they examined whether psilocybin alters performance on a visual temporal bisection task and whether any task-based changes correspond with self-reported changes in the passage of time on psychedelic phenomenology scales. The study is presented as an exploratory analysis nested within a larger clinical trial, with the authors emphasising that it extends earlier work by using a different timing task and visual rather than auditory stimuli.
Expert Research Summaries
Go Pro to access AI-powered section-by-section summaries, editorial takes, and the full research toolkit.
Study Details
- Study Typeindividual
- Journal
- Compounds
- Topic
- APA Citation
Scholle, P., Wenke, Š., Nekovářová, T., Zaytseva, Y., Tylš, F., Brunovský, M., Horáček, J., Andrashko, V., Koudelka, V., Viktorinová, M., Viktorin, V., Hájková, K., Kuchař, M., & Páleníček, T. (2026). The effects of psilocybin on time perception in humans: A comparative analysis of subjective and objective measures. Journal of Psychopharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1177/02698811251389552
References (19)
Papers cited by this study that are also in Blossom
Barnett, L., Muthukumaraswamy, S., Carhart-Harris, R. L. · NeuroImage (2020)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Friston, K. J. · Pharmacological Reviews (2019)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Leech, R., Shanahan, M. et al. · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2014)
Carter, O., Burr, D. C., Pettigrew, J. D. et al. · Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience (2006)
Davis, A. K., Barsuglia, J. P., Lancelotta, R. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2018)
Halberstadt, A. L., Geyer, M. A. · Neuropharmacology (2011)
Johnson, M. W., Richards, W. A., Griffiths, R. R. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2008)
Tylš, F., Páleníček, T., Klučková, T. et al. · Pharmacological Reports (2025)
Leptourgos, P., Fortier-Davy, M., Carhart-Harris, R. L. et al. · Schizophrenia Bulletin (2020)
MacCallum, C. A., Pistawka, C. A., Deol, J. K. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2022)
Show all 19 referencesShow fewer
Preller, K. H., Vollenweider, F. X. · Behavioral Neurobiology of Psychedelic Drugs (2016)
Reckweg, J., Uthaug, M. V., Szabo, A. et al. · Journal of Neurochemistry (2022)
Sadibolova, R., Murray-Lawson, C., Family, N. et al. · Biorxiv (2023)
Tylš, F., Páleníček, T., Horacek, J. · European Neuropsychopharmacology (2013)
Tylš, F., Páleníček, T., Kadeřábek, L. et al. · Behavioural Pharmacology (2016)
Vejmola, C., Šíchová, K., Syrová, K. et al. · Biological Psychiatry (2025)
Vollenweider, F. X., Vollenweider-Scherpenhuyzen, M. F. I., Bäbler, A. et al. · NeuroReport (1998)
Wittmann, M., Hasler, F., Vollenweider, F. X. · Neuroscience Letters (2008)
Wittmann, M., Carter, O., Hasler, F. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2007)
Your Personal Research Library
Go Pro to save papers, add notes, rate studies, and organize your research into custom shelves.