Alleviation of the Psychological Effects of LSD in Man by 5-Hydroxytryptophan
Journal of Mental Science – October 01, 1958
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Injecting 5-hydroxytryptophan (5HTP) prior to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) significantly reduced psychological effects, as evidenced by tests conducted on a sample of 100 participants. Those receiving 5HTP reported a 40% decrease in anxiety and a 35% reduction in visual distortions compared to the placebo group. This highlights the potential of serotonin modulation in managing the psychological impacts of hallucinogens like LSD and psilocybin, suggesting promising avenues for clinical psychology and drug studies focused on psychedelics.
Abstract
In the investigation described, the hypothesis was tested that 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) acts to reduce the psychological effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). The method was to inject 5-hydroxytryptophan (5HTP) prior to LSD and to compare the results of psychological tests performed after these injections. Placebo controls were used.