THE EFFECT OF LSD AND RESERPINE ON THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM OF THE CAT

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD-25) was first synthesized by A. Hofmann in 1943, who noted vertigo and restlessness. Small doses were later reported to produce schizophrenic-like symptoms including thought and speech disturbances, mood changes, hallucinations, and delusions. Gaddum and Woolley demonstrated that LSD antagonizes serotonin in the brain. Meanwhile, chlorpromazine and reserpine showed therapeutic psychiatric effects. The authors used electrophysiological methods to study LSD and reserpine's actions on the central nervous system, recording potential changes from afferent stimulation, and aimed to trace antagonism between LSD and chlorpromazine or reserpine.

Study at a glance

Abstract

In 1943 in Switzerland, A. Hofmann (1) working on the synthesis of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD-25), a common fragment of ergot alkaloids, noticed the peculiar sensation of vertigo and restlessness. Thenceforce it was reported by Stoll et al. (1, 2), Forrer et al. (3) and Rinkel et al. (4) that a small dose of LSD caused predominantly schizophrenic symptoms that were manifested in disturbances of thought and speech, changes in behavior and mood, production of hallucinations and delusions. Gaddum et al. (5, 6) and Woolley et al. (7) demonstrated that LSD antagonized the action of serotonin which is normally present in the brain. Thus LSD has been considered as a most interesting drug in psychopharmacological studies. On the other hand, both chlorpromazine and reserpine have been used in psychiatric practice, and the therapeutic effects of these have been widely recognized.In our labolatory, Fujita et al. (8, 9) recorded the potential changes to afferent stimulation of the various parts of the central nervous system and peripheral nerves, and investigated the influence of analgesics on these potential change in order to determine the site of action of such drugs on the afferent pathways of these nerves. Takagi and Takaori (10, 11) analysed the mode of action of chlorpromazine, diethazine and promethazine on the central nervous system with the aid of various evoked potentials following stimulation of the peripheral nerves and central nervous structures, and spinal reflex discharges. Yamamoto (12) studied the site of action of Ohton on the central nervous system by means of the same method.The present investigation has been designed to determine the mode of action of LSD and reserpine on the central nervous system by means of the electrophysilogical methods mentioned above, and to trace the antagonism between LSD and chlorpromazine or reserpine.