Open-label phenomenological characterization study of LSD effects in 23 subjects (4 normal staff volunteers and 19 psychiatric inpatients) at the University of Manchester, UK. A total of 58 oral LSD administrations were given across a wide dose range (10–600 µg). The study documents perceptual, mood, ego, cognitive, and autonomic effects; 6 subjects showed prolonged clinical changes.
An early open-label descriptive study of the psychological effects of LSD, undertaken at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Manchester. The study was motivated by the wide dose range employed, the occurrence of unreported phenomena, continuous administration over days in some cases, lasting clinical changes in certain patients, and the illumination of basic personality structure.
23 subjects participated: 4 normal volunteers (all staff members; 3 men, 1 woman) and 19 psychiatric inpatients (14 female, 5 male). Diagnostic categories among patients included anankastic disorder, hysteria/psychogenic amnesia, sensitive paranoid reaction, schizophrenia, and endogenous depression. The greatest number of administrations to a single patient was 16. LSD was supplied by the Sandoz Company.
LSD was administered orally to fasting subjects, typically commencing at 10:00 a.m. Doses ranged from 10–600 µg; 58 total administrations were given. There was no fixed dosing schedule; doses were selected by the investigators. Patients were confined to bed for the period of clinical observation; normal subjects generally remained seated but were allowed to move around the department. No attempt was made to darken the observation room. Continuous psychiatric supervision was provided throughout the acute intoxication and for a variable period afterwards.
Assessment included direct clinical observation, Rorschach and Bender Gestalt tests during intoxication, EEG recordings in 8 subjects, and glucose tolerance curves in 6 subjects. Symptoms appeared within 15–60 min of ingestion and peaked within 105–230 min, subsiding gradually towards the evening. Effects documented included visual disturbances (15 subjects), auditory phenomena (8), cutaneous sensations (8), taste changes (6), spatial disturbances (13), thought disorder (16), mood changes (all 23 subjects), sexual excitement (8), paranoid features (8), ego-experience disturbances (15), time disorder (13), body image changes (11), autonomic symptoms (18), and drowsiness (8).
In 6 cases, LSD was followed by prolonged changes in clinical picture, including improvements in 2 anankastic patients, 1 schizophrenic with compulsive thoughts, and 1 psychopath with psychogenic amnesia, and deterioration in 1 involutional depression. EEG changes were minimal (slight alpha frequency increase in 5 of 8 subjects). Glucose tolerance was slightly reduced during intoxication. The authors concluded that LSD produced profound psychological disturbances at low doses and was well tolerated physically up to 400–600 µg.
Note: This study predates clinical trial registration systems and has no registry entry. Published as: Anderson E.W. & Rawnsley K. (1954). Clinical studies of lysergic acid diethylamide. Mschr. Psychiat. Neurol., 128, 38–55.
LSD administered orally to fasting subjects in a wide dose range (10–600 µg), typically beginning at 10:00 a.m. Doses were selected by the investigators with no fixed schedule; the same patient could receive multiple sessions (up to 16). A total of 58 administrations were given across 23 subjects. Continuous psychiatric supervision was provided throughout the acute intoxication period. Patients remained in bed; volunteers could be seated or move within the department. The Rorschach and Bender Gestalt tests were administered during intoxication; EEGs were recorded in 8 subjects.
58 total administrations across 23 subjects. Up to 16 sessions per patient. No fixed dose schedule — doses ranged from 10–600 µg per administration.