About the Study

You are being invited to take part in this study investigating the effect of microdosing psychedelic substances on brain performance and mental health. 'Microdosing' refers to the practice of taking psychedelic substances (e.g. psilocybin or lysergic acid diethylamide; LSD) in small, sub-perceptual amounts on a regular basis. While there are many subjective, anecdotal reports online, on blogs, and in books, there are few peer-reviewed research studies. The effects of microdosing on sensation and neurophysiology remains largely unexplored. The purpose of this study is to gather quantitative and qualitative data of both a microdosing and non-microdosing group to gain a better understanding of the effects of microdosing on brain performance and mental health. The results of this study will generate hypotheses for future research and provide an improved understanding of the effects of microdosing which ideally, will lead to better safety and maximize potential benefits.

Who is conducting this study?

This study is being conducted by Dr. Zachary Walsh, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia. If you have any questions about the study, or if you do not understand something, please make sure that all of your questions have been answered before consenting to participate in this study by emailing studies@quantifiedcitizen.com. Please read this explanation about the study and its risks and benefits before you decide if you would like to take part. The results of this study may be published publicly online, in journal articles, magazines, books, and/or presented at academic conferences. All data will be entirely anonymous and confidential.

Who is funding this study?

There is no funding for this study. Quantified Citizen and its staff are providing technical support, software services, and consultation on the study, but have no control over data analysis.

What am I being asked to do?

You do not need to use psychedelics at any dose to take part in this study. We are interested in observing those who are microdosing, and those who are not. You will not be provided with psychedelic substances, or with instructions on where to obtain them or how to use them. If you choose to be in the study, you will be asked to download the Quantified Citizen app, onto your phone and complete an intake questionnaire. This includes basic demographic information (age, sex, level of education, employment status), basic medical history (major health concerns, mental health diagnoses, head injuries, neurological conditions, and pre-existing issues with visual acuity, color discrimination, hearing), and self-reported use of psychedelics. You will then be asked to complete a set of self-administered cognitive performance and mental health assessments. This entire intake process will take about 30 minutes. Regardless if you are microdosing or not, you will be asked to go about your normal daily routines for up to 3 months. Completing brief daily questionnaires that should take you about 5 minutes each day. You will be asked to repeat the battery of cognitive performance and mental health assessments (same as the baseline) on a monthly basis. That should take you about 20 minutes each time. Finally, at the end of 3 months, or whenever you decide to finish, you will be asked to complete a short closing survey that will take about 5 minutes. This study asks for about 9 hours of your time over the 3-month study period.

Will I be paid for participating?

No, you will not be paid for participating.

What are the risks of participating?

Psychedelics, including LSD, psilocybin (magic mushrooms), and MDMA, are controlled and illegal substances in Canada and many other countries. Participating in this study does not make them legal. There is some risk relating to admitting to using illegal substances, especially in relation to crossing international borders. You are responsible for conforming with the laws of your jurisdiction and understanding the risks of crossing borders where laws may differ. If you are choosing to microdose, you are already familiar with the practice and would be doing so regardless of your participation in this study. No data will be stored on your phone while the study is ongoing. As soon as you complete a survey or active task, your data are securely sent to encrypted QC servers. There is little known about the positive or negative effects of microdosing. Some research suggests that some people experience beneficial effects such as improved mood and focus. Negative effects such as physiological discomfort and increased anxiety have also been reported.

Who can participate?

If you meet any of the following criteria, you will NOT be able to participate: Under the age of majority in your place of residence, not fluent in English, not able to give adequate informed consent, or females who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant during the study period. You will need secure access to a personal mobile device to run the app on.

What are the benefits of participating?

There are no direct benefits to you being in this study. However, you may gain an increased awareness of how microdosing affects various aspects of your own health and well-being or how measures of your health and well-being fluctuate over time. By participating in this study, you may help increase the current scientific understanding of the effects of psychedelic microdosing.

Will my information be kept confidential?

All information obtained during the study will be entirely anonymous. All digital data collection will be self-administered. You will get a unique, randomly generated username and your identity will remain anonymous. You will never be asked to provide your real name, address, or date of birth. Averaged group data may be published or publicly presented, but it will not be possible to identify individual participants from this data. All of the data you enter into the Quantified Citizen app will be encrypted and stored in perpetuity on servers located in Canada.

Can I say 'no'?

Your participation in this study is strictly voluntary. You may decline to enter or withdraw from the study at any time without any consequences or explanation. Should you choose to leave the study, you will be given the option to complete a final assessment and then be logged out of your account. Data that has already been collected will still be used in the study and cannot be deleted because it will already be anonymized and encrypted.

What if I have questions about the study?

If you have any general questions about the study, please contact Dr. Zachary Walsh at zachary.walsh@ubc.ca. If you have questions about the Quantified Citizen app, please email studies@quantifiedcitizen.com. If you have concerns about your rights as a research participant, contact the Research Participant Complaint Line in the UBC Office of Research Services at 1-877-822-8598. Please reference the study number (H19-03051).

Consent

By agreeing to participate in this study, you acknowledge that all of your questions pertaining to the current study have been answered. A copy of this consent form is available through the app at any time for your reference. Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary and you may refuse to participate or withdraw from the study at any time.