Dissociations Between the Effects of LSD on Behavior and Raphe Unit Activity in Freely Moving Cats
Michael E. Trulson, Barry L. Jacobs
Science August 3, 1979 DOI: 10.1126/science.451617 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Freely moving cats |
| Intervention | d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) |
| Topics | LSD Serotonin |
| Keywords | Cats Raphe nuclei Dorsal raphe nucleus Hallucinogen Pharmacology |
| Citations | 44 |
| Key findings | LSD's behavioral effects in cats did not always align with the suppression of raphe neuron activity, showing dissociations at low doses, in duration, and during tolerance. |
Abstract
The hypothesis that the action of hallucinogenic drugs is mediated by a depression of the activity of brain serotonergic (raphe) neurons was tested by examining the behavioral effects of d -lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) while studying the activity of raphe neurons in freely moving cats. Although the results provide general support for the hypothesis, there were several important dissociations. (i) Low doses of LSD produced only small decreases in raphe unit activity but significant behavioral changes; (ii) LSD-induced behavioral changes outlasted the depression of raphe unit activity; and (iii) raphe neurons were at least as responsive to LSD during tolerance as they were in the nontolerant condition.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on LSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neural correlates of the LSD experience revealed by multimodal neuroimaging. Human participants | 2016 | Experimental study | |
| Crystal structure of an LSD-bound human serotonin receptor | 2017 | Experimental study with structural biology and molecular dynamics simulations | |
| Lysergic Acid Diethylamide: Sensitive Neuronal Units in the Midbrain Raphe Midbrain neurons containing serotonin | 1968 | Experimental study | |
| Connectome-harmonic decomposition of human brain activity reveals dynamical repertoire re-organization under LSD. Human brain | 2017 | Experimental study | |
| LSD-Assisted Psychotherapy in Patients with Terminal Cancer Cancer patients | 1973 | Experimental study | n = 60 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 13
- The neural basis of psychedelic action. Nature Neuroscience October 24, 2022
- Dreams, Hallucinogenic Drug States, and Schizophrenia: A Psychological and Biological Comparison Schizophrenia Bulletin 1983
- Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) and Lisuride: Differentiation of Their Neuropharmacological Actions Science April 30, 1982
- LSD, mescaline and serotonin injected into medial raphe nucleus potentiate apomorphine hypermotility European Journal of Pharmacology November 1, 1981
- The Serotonergic System and Mysticism: Could LSD and the Nondrug-Induced Mystical Experience Share Common Neural Mechanisms? Journal of Psychoactive Drugs September 1, 2002
and 8 more in the library
Cites 5
- Lysergic Acid Diethylamide: Sensitive Neuronal Units in the Midbrain Raphe Science August 16, 1968
- Effects of chlorimipramine and lysergic acid diethylamide on efflux of precursor-formed 3-H-serotonin: correlations with serotonergic impulse flow. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics June 1, 1975
- An Animal Behavior Model for Studying the Actions of LSD and Related Hallucinogens Science November 12, 1976
- Behavioral effects of LSD in the cat: proposal of an animal behavior model for studying the actions of hallucinogenic drugs. Brain Research August 1, 1977
- Comparative effects of hallucinogenic drugs on rotational behavior in rats with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesions. European Journal of Pharmacology July 15, 1977