Microdosing LSD may affect sustained attention differently by sex
A pilot randomized controlled study gave 48 healthy volunteers either a placebo or four 15-microgram LSD doses over two weeks. Participants completed tests of sustained attention, information processing, and working memory. Women showed possible improvements in sustained attention, while men did not, though the findings are preliminary.
The trial was double-blind and placebo-controlled, enrolling 48 healthy adults, half women, with a mean age near 37. Over two weeks, participants received either inactive capsules or four 15-microgram LSD doses. Assessments occurred before dosing, after the first and fourth doses, and later at follow-up, covering vigilance, processing speed, and short-term memory.
In the vigilance task, women on placebo were slower and missed more signals than men on placebo. After LSD, women's responses were roughly 8% quicker—about 308 ms versus 335 ms—and their lapses fell to 2.3 from 4.7. This pattern appeared after one dose, after repeated doses, and at follow-up. Men did not show a similar change.
If replicated, these preliminary sex-specific findings could shape how people interpret self-experimentation with LSD microdoses and how future attention studies are designed. Women seeking help with focus may be especially interested, though current evidence does not justify use. Researchers and clinicians may need to treat sex as a relevant variable, while public health communicators could face questions about unapproved microdosing. The broader social impact remains uncertain until larger controlled trials clarify benefits, risks, and who might respond.