Scientific article
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English

Pilot Data on Salivary Oxytocin as a Biomarker of LSD Response in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

Published inPsychoactives, vol. 4, no. 3, p. 26
First online date2025-08-01
Abstract

Despite growing evidence supporting the efficacy of LSD-assisted psychotherapy in treating major depressive disorder (MDD), identifying reliable psychopharmacological biomarkers remains necessary. Oxytocin, a neuropeptide implicated in social bonding and flexibility, is a promising candidate due to its release following serotonergic psychedelic administration in healthy individuals; however, its dynamics in psychiatric populations are currently unexplored. This observational pilot study aimed to characterize salivary oxytocin dynamics during a single LSD-assisted psychotherapy session in our patients with treatment-resistant MDD. Participants received 100 or 150 µg LSD, and salivary oxytocin was measured at baseline, 60, 90, and 180 min post-LSD. Concurrently, participants rated subjective drug intensity (0–10 scale) at 60, 90, and 180 min. A linear mixed model revealed significant variation of oxytocin levels over time. Perceived psychedelic intensity also significantly varied over time. This supports oxytocin as a potential biomarker. Larger, controlled trials are warranted to replicate these findings and clarify the mechanistic links between oxytocin dynamics and clinical outcomes, including changes in depressive symptoms and mental flexibility.

Keywords
  • Psychedelics
  • LSD
  • Oxytocin
  • Major depressive disorder
  • Biomarkers
Citation (ISO format)
CAZORLA, Laure et al. Pilot Data on Salivary Oxytocin as a Biomarker of LSD Response in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder. In: Psychoactives, 2025, vol. 4, n° 3, p. 26. doi: 10.3390/psychoactives4030026
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Additional URL for this publicationhttps://www.mdpi.com/2813-1851/4/3/26
Journal ISSN2813-1851
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Creation06/08/2025 12:03:33
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