The Effect of Microdosing Classical Psychedelics on Cognitive Flexibility and Rumination: A Behavioral and EEG Investigation

Abstract

This study explores the potential psychological and cognitive correlates of microdosing classical psychedelics—specifically LSD and psilocybin—within a naturalistic, non-interventional framework. The primary objective is to investigate whether microdosing is associated with reduced rumination and increased cognitive flexibility, and to examine whether cognitive flexibility serves as a mediating factor in the relationship between microdosing and rumination. The research builds on a growing body of literature suggesting that psychedelics, even at sub-perceptual doses, may enhance mental health outcomes by modulating neurocognitive processes. Rumination, characterized by repetitive and passive focus on negative emotions and thoughts, is a well-established risk factor for depression. Cognitive flexibility—the capacity to adapt thinking and behavior in response to changing circumstances—has been shown to inversely correlate with rumination and depression severity. The study adopts a mixed-methods design combining behavioral tasks and self-report measures with neurophysiological recordings via EEG to assess changes in cognitive and neural functioning. Each participant will self-report their microdosing status, falling into one of three groups: individuals who have completed a microdosing routine in the past (post-microdosing), individuals currently engaged in a microdosing routine (active microdosing), and individuals who intend to begin microdosing in the future (pre-microdosing). This grouping allows for a cross-sectional comparison that approximates different stages in the microdosing process, without requiring any experimental intervention. The study uses a one-time assessment that includes: • A cognitive flexibility task (Wisconsin card sorting task) to evaluate behavioral indicators of cognitive flexibility. • EEG recordings during the task, from which event-related potentials (ERPs) will be extracted and analyzed. • Self-report measures assessing the tendency to ruminate. Expected outcomes include: • Lower rumination scores and better task-switching performance (e.g., faster reaction times, fewer switch costs) in the current and post-microdosing groups compared to pre-microdosing individuals. • ERP signatures consistent with improved cognitive control in the current and post-microdosing groups. • A mediation pattern in which increased cognitive flexibility (behavioral and ERP-based) explains the association between microdosing status and rumination levels. This study aims to contribute novel evidence regarding the cognitive and neural correlates of psychedelic microdosing under naturalistic conditions, using ERP methodology to illuminate potential mechanisms without inferring causality.

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