The purpose of this study is to characterize the acute psychological, physiological, endocrine, and pharmacokinetic, as well as long-term psychological effects of LSD in humans.
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is the prototype hallucinogen used recreationally worldwide. In the 50-70s, LSD was also used to study psychotic-like states in normals ("model psychosis") and in "psycholytic psychotherapy". Potential research and therapeutic uses of LSD are now re-recognized and may include its use in brain research, treatment of cluster headache, and aid in psychotherapy and in terminally ill patients. A better and contemporary understanding of the pharmacology of LSD is important in the light of its widespread recreational, and potential scientific and therapeutic uses. The study has no primary therapeutic intentions but aims for a solid account of the clinical pharmacological characteristics of the drug. To characterize the acute physiological, psychological, endocrine, and pharmacological response to the administration of a single dose of LSD in healthy subjects the investigators use a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over design with two experimental sessions. Subjects will participate in a placebo and a LSD session. Subjective and cardiovascular responses will be repeatedly assessed throughout the experiments and plasma samples are collected for pharmacokinetics and endocrine measurements.Additionally long-term psychological changes associated with the LSD experience are assessed.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
16
University Hospital Basel
Basel, Canton of Basel-City, Switzerland
Subjective / psychological effects of LSD
repeated assessment of subjective effects with validated questionnaires
Time frame: 24 hours
Physiological effects of LSD
Effect on blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, and pupillary function
Time frame: 24 hours
Endocrine response of LSD
Time frame: 24 hours
Pharmacokinetics of LSD
Time course of plasma concentration, half-life, pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationship
Time frame: 24 hours
Effect of LSD on prepulse inhibition
Pre-Pulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex
Time frame: 3 hours
Tolerability of LSD
Assessment of adverse effects
Time frame: 24 hours
Long-term psychological effects of LSD
Assessment of long-term psychological effects after 1 and 12 months
Time frame: 12 months
Genetic Polymorphisms
Effects of genetic polymorphisms on the response to LSD
Time frame: assessed once, at time of screening visit or at time of end of study visit
Effects on social cognition and empathy
assessment of cognitive and emotional empathy, as well as of prosocial behaviour
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Time frame: 8 h