Hallucinogenic drugs attenuate the subjective response to alcohol in humans
Sean P. Barrett, Jennifer Archambault, Marla Engelberg, Robert O. Pihl
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental January 1, 2000 DOI: 10.1002/1099-1077(200010)15:7<559::aid-hup230>3.0.co;2-j via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractIn a retrospective study of 22 people who used lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) or psilocybin, most reported that hallucinogens blocked or reduced the subjective effects of alcohol. Among those who combined LSD with alcohol, 86.7% reported a complete blockade of alcohol effects, and the rest reported a diminished response. For psilocybin combined with alcohol, 60% reported a partial antagonism of alcohol effects. LSD's antagonism was significantly greater than psilocybin's. The authors suggest LSD's effect on alcohol intoxication may involve interactions with serotonergic and/or dopaminergic receptor systems.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Retrospective structured interview study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 22 |
| Population | Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and/or psilocybin users |
| Interventions | LSD psilocybin alcohol |
| Topics | Addiction LSD Psilocybin Serotonin |
| Keywords | Hallucinogen Antagonism |
| Citations | 11 |
| Key finding | LSD and psilocybin block or reduce the subjective effects of alcohol, with LSD showing significantly greater antagonism than psilocybin. |
Abstract
This study investigated possible interactions between alcohol and hallucinogens in 22 lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and/or psilocybin users through retrospective structured interviews. Of those who had used LSD with alcohol, 86;7 per cent reported a complete blockade of subjective alcohol effects, while the remaining cases reported a diminished response. In addition, 60 per cent of respondents who had used alcohol and psilocybin together reported a partial antagonism of subjective alcohol effects.T-test analyses revealed that LSD's antagonism of alcohol effects were significantly greater than those associated with psilocybin. It is proposed that LSD's effect on alcohol intoxication may involve interactions with various serotonergic and/or dopaminergic receptor systems. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.