Effects of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) on the Time Sense of Normals

A moderate to low dose of LSD alters time perception in healthy subjects, making them overestimate short audible durations, a pattern also seen in schizophrenia. The study used the same method previously applied to schizophrenic patients, who overestimate such durations more than controls. LSD's capacity to produce schizophrenic-like behavioral changes includes shifts in time sense, with experiences of acceleration, slowing, or even nonexistence of time, though true disorientation is absent.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Introduction Much of the interest in lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is due to its capacity to produce schizophrenic-like behavior when administered in extremely small quantities. 4,6 Among the reported changes resulting from LSD have been alterations in time perception. DeShon, Rinkel, and Solomon, 1 found changes in the form of experiences of acceleration, retardation, or nonexistence of time, while true disorientation was not observed. The subjects of Hoch, Cattell, and Pennes 3 reported the passage of time as slowed, an experience not uncommon to schizophrenic patients. An objective study of the time sense of schizophrenics 5 indicated that this population overestimates short audible durations to a significantly greater degree than do normal controls. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine whether moderate to low doses of LSD produce alterations in the time sense of normal subjects in the direction characteristic of schizophrenia, using the same method as reported