LSD microdosing in adults with depression is linked to same-day mood improvements, while stronger immediate effects do not predict larger benefits over time

LSD microdosing in adults with depression is associated with acute improvements in mood, optimism, friendliness, and connectedness on dosing days. The strongest immediate psychedelic-like effects did not translate into better outcomes over several weeks, suggesting that short-term subjective intensity may not drive longer-term benefit. The study followed adults with depression who were already planning to microdose LSD in naturalistic settings. Repeated assessments captured changes on dose days and across the study period, allowing researchers to compare immediate emotional shifts with longer-term symptom change. These findings support the idea that microdosing may produce measurable same-day psychological effects while raising questions about mechanism, expectancy, and how clinical benefit should be evaluated. Naturalistic design limits causal certainty, but the results add to growing evidence that microdosing deserves more rigorous controlled research.