Keeping the promise: a critique of the current state of microdosing research
IntroductionThe practice of taking small, sub-hallucinogenic doses of psychedelics, known as microdosing, has exploded in popularity over the last decade. Users claim benefits ranging from improved mood and enhanced creativity to an increased sense of meaning and connectedness in life. While researc...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1217102/full |
| _version_ | 1797324281328173056 |
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| author | Rotem Petranker Thomas Anderson Emily C. Fewster Youval Aberman Marik Hazan Michael Gaffrey Paul Seli |
| author_facet | Rotem Petranker Thomas Anderson Emily C. Fewster Youval Aberman Marik Hazan Michael Gaffrey Paul Seli |
| author_sort | Rotem Petranker |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionThe practice of taking small, sub-hallucinogenic doses of psychedelics, known as microdosing, has exploded in popularity over the last decade. Users claim benefits ranging from improved mood and enhanced creativity to an increased sense of meaning and connectedness in life. While research on microdosing is still lagging behind the shift in public opinion, several papers have been published in the last five years which attempted to assess the effects of microdosing.MethodsThis review paper aimed to critically analyze the research practices used in the recent wave of microdosing research: We reviewed 15 papers published before the closing date of this review in March 2022.ResultsOur review concludes that it is premature to draw any conclusions about the efficacy or safety of microdosing since the research quality cannot be considered confirmatory.DiscussionWe propose some potential causes for the current state of the literature and some suggestions for how these causes may be ameliorated. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T05:53:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-98691531a72d4661be069c4674b1fdcd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T05:53:50Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-98691531a72d4661be069c4674b1fdcd2024-02-05T05:02:52ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402024-02-011510.3389/fpsyt.2024.12171021217102Keeping the promise: a critique of the current state of microdosing researchRotem Petranker0Thomas Anderson1Emily C. Fewster2Youval Aberman3Marik Hazan4Michael Gaffrey5Paul Seli6Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, Hamilton, ON, CanadaDepartment of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaIndependent Researcher, New York, NY, United StatesIndependent Researcher, New York, NY, United StatesIndependent Researcher, New York, NY, United StatesDepartment of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, United StatesDepartment of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, United StatesIntroductionThe practice of taking small, sub-hallucinogenic doses of psychedelics, known as microdosing, has exploded in popularity over the last decade. Users claim benefits ranging from improved mood and enhanced creativity to an increased sense of meaning and connectedness in life. While research on microdosing is still lagging behind the shift in public opinion, several papers have been published in the last five years which attempted to assess the effects of microdosing.MethodsThis review paper aimed to critically analyze the research practices used in the recent wave of microdosing research: We reviewed 15 papers published before the closing date of this review in March 2022.ResultsOur review concludes that it is premature to draw any conclusions about the efficacy or safety of microdosing since the research quality cannot be considered confirmatory.DiscussionWe propose some potential causes for the current state of the literature and some suggestions for how these causes may be ameliorated.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1217102/fullpsychedelicsmicrodosingreviewpsilocybinLSD |
| spellingShingle | Rotem Petranker Thomas Anderson Emily C. Fewster Youval Aberman Marik Hazan Michael Gaffrey Paul Seli Keeping the promise: a critique of the current state of microdosing research Frontiers in Psychiatry psychedelics microdosing review psilocybin LSD |
| title | Keeping the promise: a critique of the current state of microdosing research |
| title_full | Keeping the promise: a critique of the current state of microdosing research |
| title_fullStr | Keeping the promise: a critique of the current state of microdosing research |
| title_full_unstemmed | Keeping the promise: a critique of the current state of microdosing research |
| title_short | Keeping the promise: a critique of the current state of microdosing research |
| title_sort | keeping the promise a critique of the current state of microdosing research |
| topic | psychedelics microdosing review psilocybin LSD |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1217102/full |
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