Low doses of LSD alter emotional brain responses in people with mild depression, boosting reward related neural activity for days

LSD microdoses can change how the brain processes emotional rewards in people with mild depressive symptoms. In a double-blind study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, 34 adults completed a reward-and-loss game during two separate lab sessions. Participants received either a low dose of 26 micrograms LSD or a placebo. Using EEG, researchers measured time specific brain waves tied to winning and losing, including a late emotional wave associated with amygdala activity. During LSD sessions, participants with higher baseline depressive mood showed a larger neural difference between losing and winning, indicating less depressive blunting in emotional processing. The strongest neural shift also matched improved positive mood during the task, and follow-up two days later showed lower depressed mood. The study suggests targeted, short-term reward valuation changes from trace psychedelics, while noting limits such as lack of established clinical diagnoses and the need for larger trials.