Alterations of consciousness and mystical-type experiences after acute LSD in humans
Matthias E. Liechti, Patrick C. Dolder, Yasmin Schmid
Psychopharmacology October 7, 2016 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4453-0
Summary
Mystical experiences were surprisingly infrequent after Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). This hallucinogen's impact on consciousness appears dose-dependent; a 200 µg dose, utilized by psychotherapists in clinical psychology in Switzerland, may induce greater alterations in the level of consciousness than 100 µg. Ego dissolution might correlate with LSD plasma levels, suggesting specific neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior. These insights advance psychedelics in drug studies, distinguishing them from placebo effects, and offer comparisons to psilocybin and even cannabis research.
Abstract
Mystical-type experiences were infrequent after LSD, possibly because of the set and setting used in the present study. LSD may produce greater or different alterations of consciousness at 200 μg (i.e., a dose that is currently used in psychotherapy in Switzerland) compared with 100 μg (i.e., a dose used in imaging studies). Ego dissolution may reflect plasma levels of LSD, whereas more robustly induced effects of LSD may not result in such associations.