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
Visit trial
Status Completed
Results Published
Start date 02 January 2017
End date 09 April 2018
Chance of happening 100%
Phase Phase I
Design Blinded
Type Interventional
Participants 28
Sex All
Age 25- 50
Therapy No

Trial Details

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.

NCT Number NCT03019822

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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