Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42031693›Full record

ArticleTranslational psychiatry2026

Characterising the clinical associations of hallucinogen persisting perception disorder: a retrospective cohort study.

Matt Butler, Ellen Moore, James J Rucker, Katharine Lynch-Kelly, Danish Hafeez, Ed Prideaux, Timothy R Nicholson, Mark Edwards, Thomas A Pollak

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Translational psychiatry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Ten practical suggestions for setting up a psychedelic study.Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Matt Butler *Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK. matthew.butler@kcl.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9734-6539
Ellen Moore *Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-5321-0575
James J RuckerDepartment of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4647-8088
Katharine Lynch-KellyNeuropsychiatry Research and Education Group, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1920-3986
Danish HafeezNeuropsychiatry Research and Education Group, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3712-136X
Ed PrideauxThe Perception Restoration Foundation , London, UK.
Timothy R NicholsonNeuropsychiatry Research and Education Group, King's College London, London, UK.
Mark EdwardsNeuropsychiatry Research and Education Group, King's College London, London, UK.
Thomas A PollakNeuropsychiatry Research and Education Group, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6171-0810

Funding

DH | National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) CS- 2017-17-007Wellcome Trust (Wellcome) 227515/Z/23/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD) is characterised by episodes of altered perception linked to past psychoactive drug use, accompanied by distress and functional impairment. To date, clinical characterisation has been limited in scale. Using TriNetX, a global federated health research network of electronic health records, we conducted a retrospective cohort study comparing clinical associations in individuals with HPPD versus population and psychedelic-using controls. Cumulative incidences of psychiatric and medical disorders were compared. Cox proportional hazards models assessed risk factors for developing HPPD, and odds ratios (ORs) were used to evaluate associated conditions following diagnosis. We identified 25,778 individuals diagnosed with HPPD. Prior to diagnosis, high rates of comorbidities were observed, including depressive episodes (29.2%), anxiety disorders (26.2%), chronic pain (15.9%), headache syndromes (14.7%), post-viral fatigue (12.3%), ADHD (6.6%), and fibromyalgia (6.7%). Anxiety and functional somatic syndromes were significantly more common in the HPPD group than in psychedelic-using controls (p < 0.001). Anxiety (OR 1.5) and post-viral fatigue (OR 1.9) predicted HPPD development in psychedelic users. HPPD diagnosis was associated with increased risk of subsequent functional somatic syndromes (OR 2.0) and psychiatric disorders (OR 1.4) versus psychedelic-using controls. This largest-to-date study of HPPD highlights its psychiatric and somatic complexity, with strong associations with anxiety and functional somatic syndromes. Several methodological limitations are acknowledged. Further research should explore overlapping pathophysiological mechanisms linking HPPD, visual disorders (e.g. visual snow syndrome), anxiety, and functional somatic syndromes.

Indexed as

HallucinogensPerceptual DisordersAdultAnxiety DisordersComorbidityFemaleFibromyalgiaHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesRisk FactorsHallucinogens

Identifiers

PMID42031693
PMCPMC13249896

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.