Summary
The production of head-twitches in mice appears to be a suitable laboratory test for predicting whether a compound is likely to be hallucinogenic in man. This is based on the following findings:
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1.
With the exception of acetyl-lysergic acid diethylamide and nalorphine, hallucinogenic drugs induced head-twitches in mice.
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2.
Chemically related compounds which are not hallucinogenic did not induce head-twitches with the exception of 5-HTP, ergometrine, α-ethylmescaline and DMPE. It is suggested that these 4 drugs might produce hallucinations if they were given in high enough doses.
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3.
There is a good correlation between drug-induced hallucinations in man and drug-induced head-twitches in mice in terms of dose/kg.
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4.
Chlorpromazine, haloperidol, tetrahydroaminacrine and monoamine-oxidase inhibitors can antagonize hallucinations in man. These same compounds antagonised head-twitches induced in mice by the appropriate hallucinogens.
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5.
Cross-tolerance has been demonstrated between LSD and mescaline LSD and psilocybin and LSD and DMT in man. Mescaline, psilocybin and DMT also antagonised LSD-induced head-twitches in mice.
A potent antiserotonin, methysergide, antagonised the head-twitches induced by a wide variety of chemically different hallucinogens. This gives support to the idea that hallucinogens may act by mimicking, releasing or potentiating serotonin centrally.
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Corne, S.J., Pickering, R.W. A possible correlation between drug-induced hallucinations in man and a behavioural response in mice. Psychopharmacologia 11, 65–78 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00401509
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00401509