ReviewBrain and behavior2026
Psycholytic Therapy Using LSD: a Realist Review.
Review in Brain and behavior, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Psychedelics in Mental Health: Opportunities and Challenges.Brain and behavior · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposePsycholytic therapy, utilizing psychoactive compounds such as d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) to enhance psychoanalytically oriented therapy, was once the most common form of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Despite its historical prominence, little attention has been given to the reasons behind its decline, and there is a lack of standardized guidance for new clinical trials. This review addresses the diversity of psycholytic methods and their association with effectiveness and safety.
methodA realist review was conducted in which studies were identified via a comprehensive bibliography of publications on psycholytic therapy with entheogens from 1948 to 1995. Intervention variables were examined in relation to rates of adverse events and diagnosis-adjusted improvement, allowing for an analysis of risk factors and practices associated with positive outcomes.
findingsAnalysis of studies published from 1954 to 1965 revealed several features conducive to successful therapy: using a flexible, intuitive therapeutic approach; promptly correcting transference issues; maintaining therapist presence throughout; providing more than ten treatment sessions and extensive preparatory work; incorporating creative activities during integration; using maximal tolerated doses; and avoiding abrupt pharmacological termination.
conclusionsPsycholytic therapy has shown potential to significantly improve severe mental health conditions, especially when trust in the therapist is fostered. Developing a strong therapeutic relationship helps address trauma-based responses resistant to psychotherapy alone, while rapid resolution of internal conflicts may ease the subsequent integration process.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.