Abstract
THE possibility that 5-hydroxytryptamine plays a part in abnormal mental processes has been discussed by Gaddum1 and by Woolley and Shaw2. The hypothesis is based on the findings that this substance is a natural constituent of nervous tissue, particularly of the brain3, and that certain of its actions are antagonized by lysergic acid diethylamide4, a drug which on oral application and in doses of only 0.5–1.0 µgm./kgm. produces pronounced psychic disturbances in normal human beings5. According to this hypothesis, the effects of lysergic acid diethylamide result from its antagonistic effect on the 5-hydroxytryptamine in the brain.
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References
Gaddum, J. H., Ciba Foundation Symposium on Hypertension, London (J. and A. Churchill, Ltd., 1953).
Woolley, D. W., and Shaw, E., Science, 119, 587 (1954); Brit. Med. J., ii, 122 (1954).
Amin, A. H. T., Crawford, B. B., and Gaddum, J. H., International Physiological Congress, Montreal, 1953, p. 165. Twarog, B. M., and Page, J. H., Amer. J. Physiol., 175, 157 (1953).
Gaddum, J. H., J. Physiol., 121, 15P (1953).
See Sloane, B., and Lovett Doust, J. W., J. Ment. Sci., 100, 129 (1954), for a recent summary of work in this field.
Rothlin, E., and Cerletti, A., Helv. Physiol. Acta, 10, 319 (1952).
Erspamer, V., Arch. Internat. Pharmacodyn., 93, 293 (1953).
Lanz, U., Cerletti, A., and Rothlin, E., Helv. Physiol. Pharmacol. Acta (in the press).
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CERLETTI, A., ROTHLIN, E. Role of 5-Hydroxytryptamine in Mental Diseases and its Antagonism to Lysergic Acid Derivatives. Nature 176, 785–786 (1955). https://doi.org/10.1038/176785a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/176785a0
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