A First-in-Man Study with 4-Fluoroamphetamine Demonstrates it Produces a Mild Psychedelic State
Kim P. C. Kuypers, E. B. de Sousa Fernandes Perna, Eef L. Theunissen, Stefan W. Toennes, Natasha L. Mason, Nadia R. P. W. Hutten, Johannes G. Ramaekers
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs January 24, 2019 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2019.1569286 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Placebo-controlled two-way crossover study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 12 |
| Population | Healthy poly-drug users |
| Intervention | 4-fluoroamphetamine (4-FA) |
| Duration | 12 hours post-administration |
| Topics | MDMA Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Amphetamine Hallucinogen Placebo Consciousness Altered state Drug administration Pharmacology Dopamine |
| Citations | 13 |
| Key points | 4-FA induces a mild psychedelic state that peaks at one hour post-administration and correlates with serum concentrations, with no effect on creative thinking. |
Abstract
The phenethylamine 4-fluoroamphetamine (4-FA) is a so-called novel psychoactive substance with a chemical structure resembling that of amphetamine and MDMA. Since 4-FA users report their subjective experience ranges between the effects induced by amphetamine and MDMA, and it is known that both substances can produce an altered state of consciousness, this study tests whether 4-FA induces a psychedelic state. A placebo-controlled two-way crossover study in 12 healthy poly-drug users was conducted to test subjective and behavioral effects of 4-FA. 4-FA concentrations were determined in serum up to 12 hours after administration and a series of questionnaires and the picture concept test were administered between one hour and 11 hours post-administration. Findings showed that 4-FA induced a psychedelic state which was highest one hour after 4-FA administration, at peak 4-FA serum concentrations. The 4-FA-induced psychedelic state decreased over time and was in general associated with the decreasing 4-FA serum concentrations. There was no 4-FA-induced change in creative (flexible) thinking. It is concluded that while the 4-FA-induced psychedelic state is mild in intensity and in between that produced by amphetamine and MDMA as hypothesized, more research is needed to indicate whether 4-FA can change creative thinking.