Phantom Limb Pain: Sub‐Hallucinogenic Treatment With Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD‐25)
M Fanciullacci, E. Del Bene, G Franchi, F Sicuteri
Headache The Journal of Head and Face Pain July 1, 1977 DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.1977.hed1703118.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case series Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 7 |
| Population | Five males and two females aged 25 to 78 with phantom limb pain |
| Dose | sub-hallucinogenic doses (oral); intravenous infusion or bolus injection of 10 ng/ml at 0.5 ml/min |
| Topics | LSD |
| Keywords | Hallucinogen Analgesic Phantom pain Phantom limb pain Nociception Anesthesia Facilitation |
| Citations | 30 |
| Key findings | Sub-hallucinogenic doses of LSD-25 improved phantom limb pain in five of seven patients and reduced analgesic use. |
Abstract
SYNOPSIS Oral treatment of phantom limb pain in five males and two females ranging in age from 25 to 78 years with sub‐hallucinogenic doses of Iysergic acid diethyImaide (LSD‐25) resulted in improvement in pain in five patients and reduction in use of analgesics. In two of the five patients improvement was striking and in the other three, pain and analgesic use were reduced moderately. LSD treatment was ineffective in two patients. Intravenous infusion or bolus injection of LSD‐25, 10ngml at 0.5 mlmin. resulted in facilitation of 5‐HT venospasm. The findings suggest that LSD‐25 facilitation of 5‐HT activity occurs centrally consistent with the hypothesis of the central nature of phantom limb pain.