Role of Dopamine, Serotonin and 5-HT2A Receptors in Emotion Processing

The study will test the effect of dopamine, serotonin, and direct 5-HT2A receptor stimulation on empathy, mood perception, and amygdala activity to fearful stimuli. In addition, we predict associations between subjective effects/alterations in emotion processing tests and functional imaging (fMRI) activity.

Topic Healthy Subjects
Compound Placebo MDMA LSD
Country Switzerland
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Trial Details



Trial Number

Sponsors & Collaborators

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

Papers

MDMA-induced changes in within-network connectivity contradict the specificity of these alterations for the effects of serotonergic hallucinogens
This double-blind, placebo-controlled, fMRI study (n=45) found that MDMA induced similar (neuronal) changes as classical (serotonergic) psychedelics.

Large-scale brain connectivity changes following the administration of lysergic acid diethylamide, d-amphetamine, and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine
This double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial (n=28) finds that LSD (100μg), d-amphetamine (40mg), and MDMA (125mg) reduced network integrity in healthy volunteers. LSD uniquely reduced default-mode network integrity and showed more pronounced effects on network segregation and seed-based connectivity compared to amphetamines.

Distinct acute effects of LSD, MDMA, and D-amphetamine in healthy subjects
This placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, cross-over study (n=28) investigated distinct acute autonomic, subjective, and endocrine effects of single doses of LSD (0.1 mg), MDMA (125 mg), D-amphetamine (40 mg) in healthy subjects. The results show that LSD, MDMA and D-amphetamine had different ratings on the 5 Dimensions of Altered States of Consciousness scale (5DASC) and Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ). It also clearly indicates the distinct neurological and behavioral profiles of LSD, MDMA and D-amphetamine.

Effective-connectivity of thalamocortical interactions following d-amphetamine, LSD, and MDMA administration
This re-analysis of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study (n=25) investigated the effects of LSD, MDMA and dextroamphetamine on brain measures (thalamocortical and corticothalamic interactions in resting-state fMRI data). Compared to placebo, all three substances increased the effective-connectivity from the thalamus to specific unimodal cortices while reducing their influence on the thalamus, revealing increased bottom-up and decreased top-down information flow; LSD uniquely increased effective-connectivity to both unimodal and transmodal cortices.

Data attribution

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