Lysergic Acid Diethylamide- and Mescaline-Induced Attenuation of the Effect of Punishment in the Rat
Science May 21, 1976 DOI: 10.1126/science.192.4241.801 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractLysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), at doses as low as 1 microgram per kilogram of body weight, reduced the suppressive effect of electric shock on rats' licking behavior. Mescaline produced a similar attenuation of punishment, while dimethyltryptamine and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol did not. Drugs that interfere with serotonin-containing neurons, cyproheptadine and α-propyldopacetamide, had comparable behavioral effects, suggesting that LSD and mescaline may attenuate punishment by decreasing the activity of these neurons.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Rats |
| Interventions | LSD mescaline dimethyltryptamine cyproheptadine α-propyldopacetamide |
| Dose | 1 microgram per kilogram of body weight |
| Topics | LSD Mescaline Serotonin |
| Keywords | Licking Cyproheptadine Hallucinogen |
| Citations | 118 |
| Key finding | LSD and mescaline attenuate punishment-induced suppression of licking in rats, likely via decreased activity of serotonin-containing neurons. |
Abstract
At a dose as low as 1 microgram per kilogram of body weight, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) significantly decreased the suppressive effect of electric shock on licking behavior of the rat. Attenuation of punishment was also obtained with mescaline, but neither dimethyltryptamine nor Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol was active in this test. Cyproheptadine and α-propyldopacetamide, drugs that interfere with the function of neurons that contain serotonin, have a behavioral effect similar to that of LSD and mescaline, which suggests that the attenuation of punishment produced by these hallucinogens may result from decreased activity of such neurons.