Does LSD make you smarter? New study suggests it promotes learning and memory

[Syne]

It's not. Too much and you end up like Ostro.

[C C]

New study estimates over 5.5 million U.S. adults use hallucinogens
https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/pu...lucinogens

RELEASE: Hallucinogen use has increased since 2015, overall and particularly among adults 26 and older, while use decreased in adolescents aged 12-17 years according to a new study by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Estimates of over 5.5 million people in the U.S. used hallucinogens in the past year in 2019, which represents an increase from 1.7 percent of the population ages 12 years and over in 2002 to 2.2 percent in 2019.

LSD use between 2002 and 2019 increased overall and in all age groups with the past 12-month rate increasing from 0.9 percent in 2002 to 4 percent in 2019 for those 18-25 years of age. Conversely, PCP use between 2002 and 2019 decreased, as did the drug Ecstasy since 2015. The study is the first to provide formal statistical analyses of trends in prevalence of hallucinogen use overall and by age groups during the last two decades.

The findings are published online in the peer-reviewed journal Addiction.

To assess trends in hallucinogen use in the U.S. general population, the researchers analyzed data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) from 2002 to 2019 for participants 12 years of age and older.

The use of hallucinogens -- a broad category of psychoactive substances, including "classic" psychedelics such as LSD -- are mostly designated as Schedule I drugs in the U. S., and may entail risk for adverse consequences including anxious reactions, confusion, acute delusional states and a prolonged sense of fear and dread. LSD and Ecstasy and several other hallucinogens are associated with an increased risk of autonomic, endocrine, cardiovascular and neurological adverse effects including elevated blood pressure, heart rate and loss of appetite, tremors and seizures. PCP is considered to be one of the most dangerous hallucinogens, and known to cause adverse effects similar to LSD and ecstasy, but unlike those drugs, PCP can lead to hostile and violent behaviors that may result in severe trauma.

"While new findings suggesting benefits from use of certain hallucinogens among a range of cognitive areas are being published at a rapid rate, there are still gaps in knowledge concerning safe hallucinogen use, and evidence for potential adverse effects even with professionally supervised use that warrant attention." said Ofir Livne, MD, MPH, postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Epidemiology at Columbia Mailman School, and first author.

From 2002 to 2019, the prevalence of 12-month LSD use increased significantly overall and among respondents aged 12-17 years. However, the prevalence of great risk for regular LSD use decreased significantly overall for the years 2002-14, and among all age groups.

"Our finding of an upward trend in 12-month LSD use, overall and by age, matches our finding of a downward trend in perception of LSD as risky," said Deborah Hasin, PhD, professor of epidemiology (in psychiatry) at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and senior author. "Factors such as changes in risk perception, in the specific types of drugs available and in expectations of beneficial effects of 'microdosing' may all have led to increased use of certain hallucinogens in recent years."

According to author Livne, "Given the recent media coverage showing that an increasing number of adults may be reporting positive effects of 'microdosing' and expecting therapeutic benefits of hallucinogens without negative effects, our findings merit a comprehensive examination of time trends and motives for hallucinogen frequency and quantity of use."

"In light of popular media reports of a forthcoming 'psychedelic revolution' with commercialization and marketing that may further reduce public perception of any risk, researchers, clinicians and policymakers should increase their attention to the rising rates of unsupervised hallucinogen use among the general public," observes Hasin. "Our results highlight such use as a growing public health concern and suggest that the increasing risk of potentially unsupervised hallucinogen use warrants preventive strategies."

Co-authors are Dvora Shmulewitz, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and Claire Walsh, New York State Psychiatric Institute.

The study was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (T32DA031099).

[RainbowUnicorn]

policy advice ?

""Our results highlight such use as a growing public health concern and suggest that the increasing risk of potentially unsupervised hallucinogen use warrants preventive strategies.""

[Zinjanthropos]

Why take the drug when you can simulate….

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-08047-w

Is the whole hallucinogenic drug trade in trouble? Or how many LSD users watch simulated videos and such? Can drug dependency be reduced through video simulation therapy?

[Syne]

Nice find, Zin.

[RainbowUnicorn]

Why take the drug when you can simulate….

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-08047-w

Is the whole hallucinogenic drug trade in trouble? Or how many LSD users watch simulated videos and such? Can drug dependency be reduced through video simulation therapy?

not without direct stimulation of the brain

using virtual reality goggles is absolutely nothing like using LSD

you can fool some parts of the brain with serotonin and a bit of dopamine but you cant open up all the new pathways that LSD does with someone sedentary watching TV.

Historically, psychedelic drugs are known to modulate cognitive flexibility

cognitive flexibility can be increased with a good sleep or some recreation
they would need to have cross study comparisons to show it has specific positive effect.
playing catch with a ball and glove would have the some 3D and body stimulation
add in some alternative background and some music and you have an "experience" that is new and different.

if the competition is just about new and different to bump up test scores, then that can be manipulated with almost any recreational activity and a strong cup of coffee.

[Syne]

Actually, hallucinogens are all about the sensory disturbance. The mental aspects are all side effects. Once, about 30 years ago, I dropped LSD, waited for it to hit, then gave up and went to bed, thinking it was a dud. I woke up hours later and opened my eyes to an onslaught of visual disturbance...but I was otherwise completely sober. Having not eased into it, I opted to close my eyes and go back to sleep. Sober (read not having my mind altered by the sensory experience), I knew it was just annoying bullshit.

[Zinjanthropos]

Just saying, who doesn’t watch videos? Who doesn’t get good sleeps even if infrequent? I would think a bunch of acid takers in a cognitive/memory experiment might be in that group. When O’Leary was spouting about how great LSD was I don’t think daily doses of YouTube was a factor. Maybe we need to know if the test subjects abstained from either visual stimulation or simulation and if they had a good night’s sleep before believing any test results.

[Ostronomos]

Unfortunately others do not have the luxury of reaching a super-intelligent state by merely using drugs, only I do.

[Syne]

LSD just tricks you into believing more is possible, as your perception of reality warps and twists. If you believe that is real....well, you end up delusional, like Ostro.