LSD is a psychedelic drug known for its ability to alter perception and psychological functioning by acting on the serotonin 2A receptor. Historically, LSD and other psychedelics were used in psychiatry, and there is currently a resurgence of interest in their therapeutic potential. Recent studies suggest that psychedelic therapy, often involving the patient lying down with closed eyes and...
In this study, we provide the first study to integrate molecular and functional neuroimaging during psychedelic drug effects in humans. Using simultaneous PET-MRI technology, we describe multiple brain actions of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in healthy volunteers. We quantify the occupancy of LSD at cerebral serotonin 2A receptors and show that LSD increases global cerebral blood flow and...