LYSERGIC ACID DIETHYLAMIDE TARTRATE (LSD-25) DOSAGE LEVELS, GROUP DIFFERENCES, AND SOCIAL INTERACTION

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD-25) alters social interaction in ways that depend on both dosage and group composition. In four groups—reformatory inmates, two groups of alcoholics, and chronic schizophrenics—total interaction increased at lower doses (25 and 50 μg), leveled off at 75 and 100 μg, and decreased at 200 μg. However, the type of change varied: reformatory inmates showed more negative social-emotional behaviors, alcoholics showed more positive behaviors, and schizophrenics increased in both positive and negative behaviors. Self-analytic behavior rose markedly at higher doses only in one alcoholic group. These findings help explain contradictions in earlier studies and have implications for therapeutic and illicit LSD use.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This paper reports the findings of four exploratory studies in which the effects of lysergic acid diethylamide tartrate (LSD-25) on social behaviors were measured using the Bales Interaction Process Analysis technique. The interaction of four four-person continuing groups, including a group of reformatory inmates, two groups of alcoholics, and a group of chronic schizophrenics, was examined in drug and placebo sessions. For three groups, the reformatory inmates, one group of alcoholics, and the group of schizophrenics, dosages of 25, 50, 75, and 100 μg were administered. For the second group of alcoholics, dosages of 100 and 200 μg were given and the interaction was studied in both morning and afternoon sessions Marked changes in interaction with the drug appeared in all four groups. Some changes were related to dosage level and were similar across groups. For instance, total interaction rose at lower dosages (25 and 50 μg), seemed to level out at slightly higher dosages (75 and 100 μg), and decreased at the high dosage administered (200 μg). However, some changes with dosage level appeared to reflect the composition of the group. For example, the behaviorally aggressive reformatory inmates showed increased negative social-emotional behaviors, the two alcoholic groups rose in positive social-emotional behaviors, while the schizophrenics tended to rise in both positive and negative behaviors with rising LSD dosages. Self-analytic behavior rose markedly at the higher dosages, but only in the alcoholic group, which received 100 and 200 μg, so that it was unclear whether group composition was significant in this case. These dosage and group composition related findings served to explain some contradictory findings of earlier studies and suggest important implications for both the therapeutic and illicit uses of LSD-25.