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Distortions of Vision and Pain: Two Functional Facets of D-Lysergic Acid Diethylamide

John Michael Williams

Perceptual and Motor Skills December 1, 1979 DOI: 10.2466/pms.1979.49.2.499 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed
Intervention LSD
Topics LSD
Citations 2
Key points Proposes that LSD's visual effects arise from attenuation of light-evoked input to the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and its analgesic effects from actions on a centrifugally controlled pain system involving midbrain raphe neurons.

Abstract

D-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) produces distortions of visual perception and analgesia. Evidence is advanced from a functional standpoint that the observed visual effects result from an attenuation of light-evoked input to the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) from the purely centripetal pathways of the retina. More slowly responding visual afferents or those with more complex receptive fields seem to be affected most. LSD analgesia, accompanied by severe psychotic symptoms, appears to result from drug actions on a centrifugally controlled pain system involving neurons of the midbrain raphe.

Comparable studies

Other theoretical and historical papers on LSD, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
The Experimental Use of Psychedelic (LSD) Psychotherapy 1970 Historical analysis
LSD: My Problem Child 1981 Historical analysis
On the Use and Abuse of LSD 1968 Theoretical or philosophical paper
The Use of Music in Psychedelic (LSD) Psychotherapy 1972 Theoretical or philosophical paper
Flashbacks: Recurrent Intrusive Images After the Use of LSD 1969 Theoretical or philosophical paper

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