Role of the 5-HT2A Receptor in Acute Effects of LSD on Empathy and Circulating Oxytocin

The psychedelic lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) has experienced a revival in research, including clinical trials that evaluate LSD-assisted psychotherapy. LSD induces perceptual alterations and influences emotion processing ways may support Here, we investigated the effects of on emotional empathy mediating role serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine-2A (5-HT 2A ) receptor by administering 25, 50, 100, 200 µg alone combined with pretreatment 5-HT antagonist ketanserin (40 mg) using placebo-controlled, double-blind, random-order, crossover design 16 healthy subjects. Multifaceted Empathy Test (MET) was used to assess empathy. Plasma oxytocin levels were also measured. dose-dependently increased implicit explicit empathy, highest dose having significant effect compared placebo. moderately plasma Ketanserin reduced LSD-induced elevations but not increases These findings confirm enhances this be partially independent its primary action receptors induce subjective effects. In contrast, release depend stimulation, which is consistent LSD. Further studies are needed investigate whether enhance potentially produce therapeutic patients who have deficits impairments social functioning.