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Three Cases of Reported Improvement in Microsmia and Anosmia Following Naturalistic Use of Psilocybin and LSD.

Journal of psychoactive drugs
May 5, 2023
Alexsandra Kovacevich et al. (4 authors)
Journal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to investigate whether psychedelics, including LSD, could improve olfactory impairment (anosmia and microsmia) based on anecdotal reports.

Results Summary

The study reported one case where a woman with childhood anosmia experienced olfactory improvement after ingesting 100 µg of LSD, suggesting potential therapeutic benefits for olfactory dysfunction. The abstract also discusses possible mechanisms like serotonergic effects and neuroplasticity.

Population

Individuals with olfactory impairment (anosmia or microsmia), including one case with childhood anosmia.

Effective Dosage

100 µg of LSD (single dose).

Duration

Single administration (duration not specified).

Interactions

None mentioned.

Extracted Claims (3)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
6 g of psilocybin containing mushrooms
increase
smell
a man who developed microsmia after a respiratory infection
-
experienced improvement
#1
100 µg of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)
increase
olfactory function
a woman with anosmia since childhood
-
reported olfactory improvement
#2
microdosing 0.1 g of psilocybin mushrooms three times
increase
olfactory function
a woman with COVID-19-related anosmia
-
reported olfactory improvement
#3
Abstract

Cultural awareness of anosmia and microsmia has recently increased due to their association with COVID-19, though treatment for these conditions is limited. A growing body of online media claims that individuals have noticed improvement in anosmia and microsmia following classic psychedelic use. We report what we believe to be the first three cases recorded in the academic literature of improvement in olfactory impairment after psychedelic use. In the first case, a man who developed microsmia after a respiratory infection experienced improvement in smell after the use of 6 g of psilocybin containing mushrooms. In the second case, a woman with anosmia since childhood reported olfactory improvement after ingestion of 100 µg of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). In the third case, a woman with COVID-19-related anosmia reported olfactory improvement after microdosing 0.1 g of psilocybin mushrooms three times. Following a discussion of these cases, we explore potential mechanisms for psychedelic-facilitated improvement in olfactory impairment, including serotonergic effects, increased neuroplasticity, and anti-inflammatory effects. Given the need for novel treatments for olfactory dysfunction, increasing reports describing improvement in these conditions following psychedelic use and potential biological plausibility, we believe that the possible therapeutic benefits of psychedelics for these conditions deserve further investigation.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
MaleFemaleHumansChildPsilocybinHallucinogensLysergic Acid DiethylamideAnosmiaOlfaction DisordersCOVID-19
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy65/10
Quality40/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations5
Citations/Year2.5
Relative Citation Ratio1.18
NIH Percentile56.2%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.50
Weight Score2.06
Normalized Score0.54
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