Thomas Anderson

Psychedelic Studies Research Program - University of Toronto

“Clinical Trial for Enhancing Mood and Creativity Through Microdosing Psilocybin”

Announcing the winner of the Stratas Innovation Award ($4,000), Thomas Anderson, a PhD student and research director at the Psychedelic Studies Research Program at the University of Toronto. A neuroscientist by training, Thomas is leading a trial to provide the field's most rigorous information on psychedelic microdosing, an almost completely understudied potential treatment pathway. The study will explore whether microdosing can be used to treat mental health conditions with fewer side effects than current treatment standards (e.g., SSRIs), as well as the effects of microdosing psilocybin on mood and creativity. Stratas is very proud to sponsor this pioneering research into how psychedelics may contribute to the treatment of the unwell, the betterment of the well, and to general human flourishing.

Nearly all media coverage of microdosing is based on anecdotes. Thomas's scientific study will be translated into peer-reviewed content for public consumption. Specifically, Stratas's funding will support the Phase IIa randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial of Thomas's ongoing study on the effects of microdosing psilocybin (the active component of psychedelic mushrooms) at one-tenth of the dose capable of inducing acute perceptual distortions. Medical oversight and a clinical site have been provided by Dr. Arun Ravindran, a senior scientist at CAMH, and has received approval from the highest offices at the University of Toronto.

Can microdosing enhance mood? Does microdosing increase creativity? By the end of Thomas's trial, we'll be a step closer to answering these questions. We're honoured to be a part of this first-of-its-kind study in Canada.