Therapeutic Usefulness of Hallucinogenic Drugs as a Function of their Chemical Structure
Pharmacopsychiatry January 1, 1975 Roland A. Fischer, Hy Goldman 4 citations
LSD combines structural features of mescaline (a phenylethylamine) and psilocybin (a tryptamine and serotonin analog). Naloxone, which blocks LSD-like side effects of cyclazocine, also blocks effects of LSD, and cross-tolerance may exist between LSD and cyclazocine but not between mescaline and psilocybin. Although LSD binds subcortically, its effect on regional brain perfusion and function is primarily cortical; psilocybin's perfusion shifts are confined to subcortical regions, suggesting other phenylethylamines like mescaline may selectively affect cortical activity.