Psychedelics and Autism
The potential role of psychedelics for treating symptoms of autism, specifically those related to social anxiety, has been investigated since the early 1950s. While controversially studies were conducted at the time, which included the administration of LSD to young children with autism, today this unique field of research is being investigated with renewed vigor and stricter codes of ethics. In a recent 2020 article, psilocybin was given to model autism mice. The psilocybin rescued social behavioral abnormalities that are normally present in these mice. Effects of psilocybin on social behavior was measured using sociability and social memory behavioral tests over the course of 4 days. This groundbreaking research sets the stage for future studies on psychedelics and autism. Modern research on autism and psychedelics has been conducted in humans as well. For example, much work has been done using MDMA for the potential treatment of social anxiety in autism. You can read more about this human research at www.mdma-autism.org.
For more articles, information, and personal insight on autism and psychedelics: check out www.AutismonAcid.com
Article Referenced: Psilocybin rescues sociability deficits in an animal model of autism