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
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 BaselThe 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 hallucinogensThis double-blind, placebo-controlled, fMRI study (n=45) found that MDMA induced similar (neuronal) changes as classical (serotonergic) psychedelics.
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.