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

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.