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Mccall RB, Aghajanian GK. 
“Hallucinogens Potentiate Responses To Serotonin And Norepinephrine In The Facial Motor Nucleus”. 
Life Sciences. 1980;26(14):1149-1156.
Abstract
The present investigation was designed to determine the effect of hallucinogens on the facilitating action of serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) in the facial nucleus. Intravenous administration of d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD, 5-10 mcg/kg), mescaline (0.5-1.0 mg/kg), or psilocin (0.5-1.0 mg/kg) had no effect by themselves on the glutamate-induced excitation of facial motoneurons. In contrast, the facilitation of facial neuron excitation by iontophoretically applied 5-HT and NE was enhanced 6-10 fold by these hallucinogens. The LSD-enhanced responses to 5-HT and NE continued for at least 4 hours after administration of the hallucinogen. Iontophoretic application of LSD or mescaline (low currents) also markedly potentiated the facilitating effect of 5-HT and NE. Higher currents of LSD (15-40 nA) temporarily antagonized the response to 5-HT. The nonhallucinogen ergot derivatives lisuride and methysergide failed to potentiate the facilitating effects of 5-HT or NE. These observations suggest that hallucinogens potentiate the effect of monoamines on facial motoneurons by increasing the sensitivity of 5-HT and NE receptors. A novel mechanism recording the psychedelic effects of hallucinogens is discussed.
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