Psychological, Physiological, Endocrine, and Pharmacokinetic Effects of LSD in a Controlled Study

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.

Topic Healthy Subjects
Compound LSD
Country Switzerland
Visit trial
Status Completed
Results Published
Start date 06 January 2013
End date 12 January 2014
Chance of happening 100%
Phase Phase I
Design Blinded
Type Interventional
Generation First
Participants 16
Sex All
Age 25- 65
Therapy No

Trial Details

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.

NCT Number NCT01878942

Sponsors & Collaborators

University of Basel
The University of Basel Department of Biomedicine hosts the Liechti Lab research group, headed by Matthias Liechti.

Papers

Long-lasting subjective effects of LSD in normal subjects
This double-blind cross-over trial (n=16) found that LSD (200μg) led to positive well-being/life-satisfaction scores up to 12 months later. The subjects experienced it as one of the top 10 most meaningful experiences (70%) in their lives.

Data attribution

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