LSD enhances the emotional response to music

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychopharmacology
• Music Psychology

Background:

• Psychedelic drugs, such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), are regaining interest for therapeutic applications.
• Historically, LSD was used in psychotherapy to enhance emotionality, with music considered a key element.
• The impact of psychedelics on music-evoked emotions requires modern, placebo-controlled investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) enhances emotional responses to music.
• To provide empirical evidence for the long-held assumption about psychedelics and music perception.

Main Methods:

• A double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 10 healthy volunteers.
• Participants listened to instrumental music on two separate days: one placebo and one LSD day.
• Subjective emotional responses were measured using visual analogue scales (VAS) and the Geneva Emotional Music Scale (GEMS-9).

Main Results:

• LSD administration led to a significant enhancement of music-evoked emotions.
• Specific emotions, including "wonder", "transcendence", "power", and "tenderness", were notably amplified.
• Subjective ratings indicated a stronger emotional connection to music under LSD.

Conclusions:

• The study confirms that lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) potentiates emotional responses to music.
• Findings offer indirect support for the potential of psychedelics in music-assisted psychotherapy.
• Further research is needed to directly establish the efficacy of this therapeutic approach.