Effects of Mescaline, LSD-25, and Adrenochrome on Depth Electrograms in Man

Scalp and depth electroencephalography were used to investigate the effects of mescaline, LSD-25, and adrenochrome on brain activity. Previous work had shown that chlorpromazine reverses mescaline- and LSD-induced psychoses clinically but with minimal conventional EEG changes, and these drugs failed to activate temporal-lobe epilepsy. Depth electrography was pursued to better capture drug effects, including adrenochrome's reported ability to induce psychosis without insight in volunteers and increase paroxysmal discharges in epileptics' EEGs. The study aimed to clarify these neurophysiological actions through more sensitive recording techniques.

Study at a glance

Abstract

In a recent report concerning the reversibility by chlorpromazine of psychoses induced by means of mescaline andd-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD-25), careful attention was given to the clinical and electroencephalographic changes.1Although the clinical changes of this reversal effect were immediate and striking, the conventional electroencephalographic changes were minimal, and it was difficult to assess them. It was noted in another recent study that mescaline and LSD-25 failed to activate temporal-lobe epilepsy either clinically or electroencephalographically.2 Because of these factors, it was hoped that depth electrographic studies might be fruitful in elucidating the effects of these drugs. It was hoped also that study by means of depth electrography of the effects of adrenochrome might elucidate its reported actions of inducing a psychosis without insight in volunteers3and increasing the paroxysmal discharges in the electroencephalograms of epileptics.4Scalp electroencephalography and depth electrography were undertaken as specific