Neuropedia by Eric H. Chudler

Author:Eric H. Chudler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: 2022-06-02T00:00:00+00:00

Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)

Hallucinogenic drug that alters perception, mood, and sense of reality. On one late afternoon in April, 1943, Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann (1906–2008) decided to try a small dose of a new drug he created.62 On his bicycle ride home after taking the drug, Hofmann experienced visual hallucinations, feelings of paralysis, and dizziness. The cause of these strange symptoms? Hofmann had dosed himself with lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).

LSD has no color, no odor, and no taste, but amounts as small as 0.05 mg can produce hallucinations. The effects of LSD vary depending on the dose and with the expectations and mood of the user. After taking LSD, a person may begin to feel the effects of the drug in 30 to 60 minutes and the “trip” can last 12 hours. Common effects include visual hallucinations, anxiety, altered emotions, increased heart rate and body temperature, and distortions in the perception of time and space.

Although all of the brain mechanisms responsible for the effects of LSD are not known, it is likely that brain pathways that use the neurotransmitter serotonin are involved. Serotonin plays important roles in mood, motor control, and regulation of body temperature. The chemical structure of LSD is similar to that of the neurotransmitter serotonin, so the effects of LSD are likely caused by activation of neurons that use serotonin.

In the US, LSD is now listed as a Schedule I drug (no medical use and a high potential for abuse), with a penalty of five years in prison for possession of 1 gm.63 However, in the 1950s and 1960s, many studies investigated the possible therapeutic uses of LSD, especially for the treatment of alcoholism. Within the past ten years, there has been a renewed interest in LSD-assisted psychotherapy for anxiety, depression, and pain.64, 65 Additional research is needed to determine if LSD can be used safely and effectively to treat neurological and mental disorders.

See also Mushrooms, Hallucinogenic; Neurotransmitters; Serotonin

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.