LSD Occupancy of the Serotonin 2A Receptor in the Human Brain (dOccLS)

This early-phase, interventional trial (n=40) investigates LSD occupancy at the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) in the human brain. Healthy participants aged 18-75 will receive a single dose of LSD ranging from 25 to 200 micrograms equivalent freebase.

The study, initiated on November 8, 2023, is expected to be completed by December 2024. The primary objective is to quantify the relationship between LSD dose, plasma LSD levels, and 5-HT2AR occupancy using positron emission tomography (PET) scans. The trial will also assess subjective drug intensity and functional brain activity via functional MRI (fMRI) and other measures. Dr Gitte M Knudsen leads the study at the Neurobiology Research Unit, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Topic Healthy Subjects Neuroscience
Compound LSD
Country Denmark
Visit trial
Status Recruiting
Results Published No
Start date 08 November 2023
End date 31 December 2024
Phase Phase I
Design Open
Type Interventional
Generation First
Participants 40
Sex All
Age 18- 75
Therapy No

Trial Details

Healthy participants will be administered one of a single dose of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) between 25 and 200 micrograms equivalent freebase. They will receive [11C]CIMBI-36 positron emission tomography (PET) scans at baseline and twice following LSD administration during peak and declining drug effects. PET scans will be acquired in a simultaneous PET/Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner which will also collect functional brain imaging data. Venous blood samples will be repeatedly drawn during acute drug effects for quantification of plasma LSD levels. Participants will also repeatedly rate their subjective drug intensity on a scale from 0 to 10 during acute drug effects. Together these data will inform the dose-binding relation of LSD at the serotonin (5-HT) 2A receptor, the primary site of action. This data will also inform the relation between 5-HT2A receptor binding by LSD and the induced subjective effects, as well as the effects on functional brain activity as measured with functional MRI.

NCT Number NCT05953038

Sponsors & Collaborators

Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet
The university hospital in Copenhagen, the Rigshospitalet, is Denmark's most prestigious (and largest) hospital. Literally translated, the name stands for 'Hospital of the Realm.' Researchers here are working on at least three psychedelic trials with psilocybin.

Data attribution

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