Background: In the past few years, the issue of ‘microdosing’ psychedelics has been openly discussed in the public arena where claims have been made about their positive effect on mood state and cognitive processes such as concentration. However, there are very few scientific studies that have specifically addressed this issue, and there is no agreed scientific consensus on what microdosing is. Aim: This critique paper is designed to address questions that need to be answered by future scientific studies and to offer guidelines for these studies. Approach: Owing to its proximity for a possible approval in clinical use and short-lasting pharmacokinetics, our focus is predominantly on psilocybin. Psilocybin is allegedly, next to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), one of the two most frequently used psychedelics to microdose. Where relevant and available, data for other psychedelic drugs are also mentioned. Conclusion: It is concluded that while most anecdotal reports focus on the positive experiences with microdosing, future research should also focus on potential risks of (multiple) administrations of a psychedelic in low doses. To that end, (pre)clinical studies including biological (e.g. heart rate, receptor turnover and occupancy) as well as cognitive (e.g. memory, attention) parameters have to be conducted and will shed light on the potential negative consequences microdosing could have.

Microdosing psychedelics: More questions than answers? An overview and suggestions for future research / Kuypers, K. P. C.; Ng, L.; Erritzoe, D.; Knudsen, G. M.; Nichols, C. D.; Nichols, D. E.; Pani, L.; Soula, A.; Nutt, D.. - In: JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY. - ISSN 0269-8811. - 33:9(2019), pp. 1039-1057. [10.1177/0269881119857204]

Microdosing psychedelics: More questions than answers? An overview and suggestions for future research

Pani L.;
2019

Abstract

Background: In the past few years, the issue of ‘microdosing’ psychedelics has been openly discussed in the public arena where claims have been made about their positive effect on mood state and cognitive processes such as concentration. However, there are very few scientific studies that have specifically addressed this issue, and there is no agreed scientific consensus on what microdosing is. Aim: This critique paper is designed to address questions that need to be answered by future scientific studies and to offer guidelines for these studies. Approach: Owing to its proximity for a possible approval in clinical use and short-lasting pharmacokinetics, our focus is predominantly on psilocybin. Psilocybin is allegedly, next to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), one of the two most frequently used psychedelics to microdose. Where relevant and available, data for other psychedelic drugs are also mentioned. Conclusion: It is concluded that while most anecdotal reports focus on the positive experiences with microdosing, future research should also focus on potential risks of (multiple) administrations of a psychedelic in low doses. To that end, (pre)clinical studies including biological (e.g. heart rate, receptor turnover and occupancy) as well as cognitive (e.g. memory, attention) parameters have to be conducted and will shed light on the potential negative consequences microdosing could have.
2019
14-lug-2019
33
9
1039
1057
Microdosing psychedelics: More questions than answers? An overview and suggestions for future research / Kuypers, K. P. C.; Ng, L.; Erritzoe, D.; Knudsen, G. M.; Nichols, C. D.; Nichols, D. E.; Pani, L.; Soula, A.; Nutt, D.. - In: JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY. - ISSN 0269-8811. - 33:9(2019), pp. 1039-1057. [10.1177/0269881119857204]
Kuypers, K. P. C.; Ng, L.; Erritzoe, D.; Knudsen, G. M.; Nichols, C. D.; Nichols, D. E.; Pani, L.; Soula, A.; Nutt, D.
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
0269881119857204.pdf

Open access

Tipologia: Versione pubblicata dall'editore
Dimensione 235.99 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
235.99 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

Licenza Creative Commons
I metadati presenti in IRIS UNIMORE sono rilasciati con licenza Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal, mentre i file delle pubblicazioni sono rilasciati con licenza Attribuzione 4.0 Internazionale (CC BY 4.0), salvo diversa indicazione.
In caso di violazione di copyright, contattare Supporto Iris

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11380/1201760
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 35
  • Scopus 119
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 109
social impact