Scientists Gave LSD To Autistic Dogs: Mind-Blowing Brain Changes Deepened Connections With Humans

By Lucía Tedesco via El Planteo

A recent study published in Advanced Science delves into what scientists call “interbrain activity coupling.” For many dog lovers, the idea that a glance or a touch could create a special connection with their pet isn’t new.

However, this research demonstrated for the first time that such interactions lead to an actual synchronization of brainwaves—a phenomenon previously observed mainly in human-to-human interactions.

LSD To Connect Autistic Dogs With Their Humans

The study was conducted with 10 beagles carrying a genetic mutation associated with autism (known as Shank3) and their respective humans. During the experiment, both dogs and humans wore EEG caps, allowing scientists to measure brain activity while they interacted.

According to the study, “LSD was administered intramuscularly at a single dose of 7.5 µg kg−1 bodyweight to each test dog. USP-grade saline (0.9% NaCl) was used as vehicle control. Only dogs were given LSD in the interacting dyads.”

The results were clear: when humans and dogs looked at each other or engaged in petting, their brainwaves aligned, particularly in regions associated with attention and social behavior.

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“The strength, direction and attention-associated brain regions of the interbrain activity coupling during human-dog interactions are similar to those during human-human interactions,” the researchers stated, as reported by Healing Maps. However, this synchronization didn’t occur in all the dogs, which led to a more controversial experiment: the use of LSD.

After receiving the substance, the dogs exhibited improved synchronization of brainwaves with humans and an increase in joint attention, a key behavior in social interactions.

Dr. Yong Q. Zhang, one of the study’s authors, explained the implications of these findings: “One is that the disrupted inter-brain synchronization might be used as a biomarker for autism, and the other is LSD or its derivatives might ameliorate the social symptoms of autism.”

This article is from an external unpaid contributor. It does not represent Benzinga’s reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.