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Approved For Release 2S ECR : CIA-RDP96-00788R001300020001-6 ST-CS-01-169-72 July 1972 LSD psychosis wears off, the victim experiences no after effects, however it has been reported that part of the hallucinations are _ subject to recall and flashback reactions have occurred. Psilocybin exerts a qualitatively similar effect in man, but about 100 times weaker than LSD. This material is known as the psychotropic subtance of the Mexican magic mushroom (Psilocybe mex. Heim). The more effec- tive compound is psilozine which occurs in the organism through dephosphorylation of psilocybin. As shown by animal experiment, just 20 minutes after i.p. injection of psilocybin, dephosphory~ lation is observed, indicating a rather high content of psilozine in brain and other organs of the animals. The two substances are identical with respect to their psychotropic effect, and at the start of the psychosis there are changes in physical feelings (weakness, dizziness) as predominant symptoms. Only later do the optical and acoustic hallucinations start. Anxiety, restlessness, nausea and difficulty in speech are characteristic of the further symptoms of intoxication. In the later course of the psychosis there is extensive loss of ability to concentrate or think, and there is also loss of sense of space and time. After the psychosis wears off the victim complains of exhaustion, . fatigue and headache, but these symptoms disappear after a while. LSD, psilozine and psilocybin are biochemically correlated to serotonin.. .It is not yet clear to what extent this correlation is based in enzyme chemistry. However, similar structures in the mole¢ttles of these substances suggest pharmacodynamic interpretations. Since brain function is closely related to serotonin metabolism it can be assumed that this substance is replaced by structurally very similar psychotoxins that are built up, namely by substances of the tryptamine group, e.g., LSD. These poisons do not take over the functions of the serotonin, however, and this leads to dis- turbances in the CNS. The comparison of the above named materials: with other tryptamine derivatives such as dimethyltryptamine and bufotenine, which is an isomer of psilozine, also fits into the framework of pharmacodynamic interpretation. Both deriva- tives are psychotropically active substances, effective in man in doses of about 70 ng. 3. (C/CD/NDA) Several institutes in the Soviet Union have been identified where LSD research has taken place since 1969. The Institute of Physiology in Tbilisi was reported to be doing work on the effects of LSD on baboon behavior. No specific experimental work is known (199). A group at the Institute of Molecular Biology, Academy of Sciences, Moscow, has been working with LSD in experi- ments with inhibitors (200). It is difficult to judge what the Soviets are doing, but the work with inhibitors might indicate research efforts in the area of medical defense against the use 67 NO FOREIGN DISSEMINATION (This page is CONFIDENTIAL) Approved For Release 2003/09/10 : CIA-RDP96-00788R001300020001-6