Chronic lysergic acid diethylamide administration and serotonin turnover in various regions of the rat brain

Effects of single and multiple dose LSD on endogenous levels of brain tyrosine and catecholamines

The effects on brain catecholamines of seven daily doses of d-LSD 520 mug/kg injected i.p. to Sprague-Dawley rats on a tolerance dosage schedule (L X 7) were compared with the effects of a single dose of LSD (L X 1) 520 mug/kg or 1040 mug/kg, over a 90 min time course. Compared to saline controls, after a single dose of 520 mug/kg LSD, there was a significant decrease in brain norepinephrine at 30 to 60 min, a rise in dopamine at 60 min, and a small rise in brain tyrosine at early time points followed by significant decline from control levels after 60 min. The effects of a single dose of 1040 mug/kg LSD were similar to the 520 mug/kg dose but were greater in both magnitude and duration of the brain catecholamine changes. After a tolerance dosage schedule there were significant changes in the response of brain catecholamines to 520 mug/kg LSD. The rise in brain dopamine at 60 min was abolished, brain tyrosine was uniformly below both saline and L times 1 animals, and brain norepinephrine returned to control levels slightly faster.