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Family N, Maillet EL, Williams LTJ, Krediet E, Carhart-Harris RL, Williams TM, Nichols CD, Goble DJ, Raz S. Safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of low dose lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in healthy older volunteers. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:841-853. [PMID: 31853557 PMCID: PMC7036065 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05417-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Research has shown that psychedelics, such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), have profound anti-inflammatory properties mediated by 5-HT2A receptor signaling, supporting their evaluation as a therapeutic for neuroinflammation associated with neurodegenerative disease. OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of orally repeated administration of 5 μg, 10 μg, and 20 μg LSD in older healthy individuals. In the current paper, we present safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamic measures that relate to safety, tolerability, and dose response. METHODS This was a phase 1 double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study. Volunteers were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 dose groups (5 μg, 10 μg, 20 μg LSD, and placebo), and received their assigned dose on six occasions (i.e., every 4 days). RESULTS Forty-eight older healthy volunteers (mean age = 62.9 years) received placebo (n = 12), 5 μg (n = 12), 10 μg (n = 12), or 20 μg (n = 12) LSD. LSD plasma levels were undetectable for the 5 μg group and peak blood plasma levels for the 10 μg and 20 μg groups occurred at 30 min. LSD was well tolerated, and the frequency of adverse events was no higher than for placebo. Assessments of cognition, balance, and proprioception revealed no impairment. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest safety and tolerability of orally administered 5 μg, 10 μg, and 20 μg LSD every fourth day over a 21-day period and support further clinical development of LSD for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Charles D Nichols
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | | | - Shlomi Raz
- Eleusis Benefit Corporation, New York, NY, USA
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Yanakieva S, Polychroni N, Family N, Williams LTJ, Luke DP, Terhune DB. Correction to: The effects of microdose LSD on time perception: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:3803. [PMID: 33089876 PMCID: PMC7853006 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05682-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The manufacturer of the drug product was Onyx Scientific Limited UK, to cGMP standards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steliana Yanakieva
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, 8 Lewisham Way, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW UK
| | - Naya Polychroni
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, 8 Lewisham Way, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW UK
| | | | - Luke T. J. Williams
- Eleusis Pharmaceuticals Ltd, London, UK ,Centre for Psychiatry, Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - David P. Luke
- Department of Psychology, Social Work, & Counselling, University of Greenwich, London, UK
| | - Devin B. Terhune
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, 8 Lewisham Way, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW UK ,Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Timmermann C, Roseman L, Schartner M, Milliere R, Williams LTJ, Erritzoe D, Muthukumaraswamy S, Ashton M, Bendrioua A, Kaur O, Turton S, Nour MM, Day CM, Leech R, Nutt DJ, Carhart-Harris RL. Neural correlates of the DMT experience assessed with multivariate EEG. Sci Rep 2019; 9:16324. [PMID: 31745107 PMCID: PMC6864083 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51974-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Studying transitions in and out of the altered state of consciousness caused by intravenous (IV) N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT - a fast-acting tryptamine psychedelic) offers a safe and powerful means of advancing knowledge on the neurobiology of conscious states. Here we sought to investigate the effects of IV DMT on the power spectrum and signal diversity of human brain activity (6 female, 7 male) recorded via multivariate EEG, and plot relationships between subjective experience, brain activity and drug plasma concentrations across time. Compared with placebo, DMT markedly reduced oscillatory power in the alpha and beta bands and robustly increased spontaneous signal diversity. Time-referenced and neurophenomenological analyses revealed close relationships between changes in various aspects of subjective experience and changes in brain activity. Importantly, the emergence of oscillatory activity within the delta and theta frequency bands was found to correlate with the peak of the experience - particularly its eyes-closed visual component. These findings highlight marked changes in oscillatory activity and signal diversity with DMT that parallel broad and specific components of the subjective experience, thus advancing our understanding of the neurobiological underpinnings of immersive states of consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Timmermann
- Centre for Psychedelic Research, Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK.
- Computational, Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience Laboratory (C3NL), Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK.
| | - Leor Roseman
- Centre for Psychedelic Research, Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Michael Schartner
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Raphael Milliere
- Faculty of Philosophy, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Luke T J Williams
- Centre for Psychedelic Research, Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - David Erritzoe
- Centre for Psychedelic Research, Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK
| | | | - Michael Ashton
- PKDM Unit, Department of Pharmacology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Adam Bendrioua
- PKDM Unit, Department of Pharmacology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Okdeep Kaur
- Imperial Clinical Research Facility, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Samuel Turton
- Centre for Psychiatry, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Matthew M Nour
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Camilla M Day
- Centre for Psychedelic Research, Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Robert Leech
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - David J Nutt
- Centre for Psychedelic Research, Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK
- Centre for Psychiatry, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Robin L Carhart-Harris
- Centre for Psychedelic Research, Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Yanakieva S, Polychroni N, Family N, Williams LTJ, Luke DP, Terhune DB. The effects of microdose LSD on time perception: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:1159-1170. [PMID: 30478716 PMCID: PMC6591199 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-5119-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Previous research demonstrating that lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) produces alterations in time perception has implications for its impact on conscious states and a range of psychological functions that necessitate precise interval timing. However, interpretation of this research is hindered by methodological limitations and an inability to dissociate direct neurochemical effects on interval timing from indirect effects attributable to altered states of consciousness. METHODS We conducted a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study contrasting oral administration of placebo with three microdoses of LSD (5, 10, and 20 μg) in older adults. Subjective drug effects were regularly recorded and interval timing was assessed using a temporal reproduction task spanning subsecond and suprasecond intervals. RESULTS LSD conditions were not associated with any robust changes in self-report indices of perception, mentation, or concentration. LSD reliably produced over-reproduction of temporal intervals of 2000 ms and longer with these effects most pronounced in the 10 μg dose condition. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that LSD-mediated over-reproduction was independent of marginal differences in self-reported drug effects across conditions. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that microdose LSD produces temporal dilation of suprasecond intervals in the absence of subjective alterations of consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steliana Yanakieva
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, 8 Lewisham Way, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW, UK
| | - Naya Polychroni
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, 8 Lewisham Way, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW, UK
| | | | - Luke T J Williams
- Eleusis Pharmaceuticals Ltd, London, UK
- Centre for Psychiatry, Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - David P Luke
- Department of Psychology, Social Work, & Counselling, University of Greenwich, London, UK
| | - Devin B Terhune
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, 8 Lewisham Way, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW, UK.
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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Carhart-Harris RL, Murphy K, Leech R, Erritzoe D, Wall MB, Ferguson B, Williams LTJ, Roseman L, Brugger S, De Meer I, Tanner M, Tyacke R, Wolff K, Sethi A, Bloomfield MAP, Williams TM, Bolstridge M, Stewart L, Morgan C, Newbould RD, Feilding A, Curran HV, Nutt DJ. The Effects of Acutely Administered 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine on Spontaneous Brain Function in Healthy Volunteers Measured with Arterial Spin Labeling and Blood Oxygen Level-Dependent Resting State Functional Connectivity. Biol Psychiatry 2015; 78:554-62. [PMID: 24495461 PMCID: PMC4578244 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2013.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2013] [Revised: 12/05/2013] [Accepted: 12/16/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The compound 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a potent monoamine releaser that produces an acute euphoria in most individuals. METHODS In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, balanced-order study, MDMA was orally administered to 25 physically and mentally healthy individuals. Arterial spin labeling and seed-based resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) were used to produce spatial maps displaying changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and RSFC after MDMA administration. Participants underwent two arterial spin labeling and two blood oxygen level-dependent scans in a 90-minute scan session; MDMA and placebo study days were separated by 1 week. RESULTS Marked increases in positive mood were produced by MDMA. Decreased CBF only was observed after MDMA, and this was localized to the right medial temporal lobe (MTL), thalamus, inferior visual cortex, and the somatosensory cortex. Decreased CBF in the right amygdala and hippocampus correlated with ratings of the intensity of global subjective effects of MDMA. The RSFC results complemented the CBF results, with decreases in RSFC between midline cortical regions, the medial prefrontal cortex, and MTL regions, and increases between the amygdala and hippocampus. There were trend-level correlations between these effects and ratings of intense and positive subjective effects. CONCLUSIONS The MTLs appear to be specifically implicated in the mechanism of action of MDMA, but further work is required to elucidate how the drug's characteristic subjective effects arise from its modulation of spontaneous brain activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin L Carhart-Harris
- Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology (RLC-H, DE, LTJW, LR, SB, RT, AS, TMW, MB, DJN) and C3NL (RL), Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, London, London.
| | - Kevin Murphy
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (KM), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - David Erritzoe
- Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology (RLC-H, DE, LTJW, LR, SB, RT, AS, TMW, MB, DJN) and C3NL (RL), Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, London, London
| | - Matthew B Wall
- Institute of Neurology (MBW),; Imanova (MBW, IDM, MT, RDN), Centre for Imaging Sciences, London
| | - Bart Ferguson
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit (BF, LS, CM, HVC), University College London, London; University College London, London
| | - Luke T J Williams
- Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology (RLC-H, DE, LTJW, LR, SB, RT, AS, TMW, MB, DJN) and C3NL (RL), Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, London, London
| | - Leor Roseman
- Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology (RLC-H, DE, LTJW, LR, SB, RT, AS, TMW, MB, DJN) and C3NL (RL), Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, London, London
| | - Stefan Brugger
- Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology (RLC-H, DE, LTJW, LR, SB, RT, AS, TMW, MB, DJN) and C3NL (RL), Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, London, London
| | - Ineke De Meer
- Imanova (MBW, IDM, MT, RDN), Centre for Imaging Sciences, London
| | - Mark Tanner
- Imanova (MBW, IDM, MT, RDN), Centre for Imaging Sciences, London
| | - Robin Tyacke
- Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology (RLC-H, DE, LTJW, LR, SB, RT, AS, TMW, MB, DJN) and C3NL (RL), Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, London, London
| | - Kim Wolff
- School of Biomedical Sciences (KW), Kings College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ajun Sethi
- Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology (RLC-H, DE, LTJW, LR, SB, RT, AS, TMW, MB, DJN) and C3NL (RL), Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, London, London
| | - Michael A P Bloomfield
- Psychiatric Imaging Group (MAPB), MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Institute of Clinical Science, Imperial College London, London
| | - Tim M Williams
- Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology (RLC-H, DE, LTJW, LR, SB, RT, AS, TMW, MB, DJN) and C3NL (RL), Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, London, London
| | - Mark Bolstridge
- Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology (RLC-H, DE, LTJW, LR, SB, RT, AS, TMW, MB, DJN) and C3NL (RL), Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, London, London
| | - Lorna Stewart
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit (BF, LS, CM, HVC), University College London, London; University College London, London
| | - Celia Morgan
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit (BF, LS, CM, HVC), University College London, London; University College London, London
| | | | | | - H Val Curran
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit (BF, LS, CM, HVC), University College London, London; University College London, London
| | - David J Nutt
- Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology (RLC-H, DE, LTJW, LR, SB, RT, AS, TMW, MB, DJN) and C3NL (RL), Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, London, London
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