Multiple exposures to LSD significantly altered gray matter microarchitecture across much of the brain.
LSD exposure during periadolescence did not affect motor behavior or cognitive performance in young adult mice.
Few differences in brain volume were observed across 139 brain regions among the experimental groups.
Significant changes in brain structure were primarily associated with the thalamus, sensory and motor cortices, and basal ganglia.
Reduced was noted between forebrain white matter tracts and sensorimotor cortices and the hippocampus following multiple doses of LSD.
Altered gray matter microarchitecture may suggest changes in neuroplasticity, as indicated by variations in diffusion-weighted imaging values across 74 brain areas.
Simplified
LSD is a hallucinogen with complex neurobiological and behavioral effects. Underlying these effects are changes in brain neuroplasticity. This is the first study to follow the developmental changes in brain structure and function following LSD exposure in periadolescence. We hypothesized LSD given during a time of heightened neuroplasticity, particularly in the forebrain, would affect cognitive and emotional behavior and the associated underlying neuroanatomy and neurocircuitry. Female and male mice were given vehicle, single or multiple treatments of 3.3 µg of LSD by oral gavage starting on postnatal day 51. Between postnatal days 90-120 mice were imaged and tested for cognitive and motor behavior. MRI data from voxel-based morphometry, diffusion weighted imaging, and BOLD resting state were registered to a mouse 3D MRI atlas with 139 brain regions providing site-specific differences in global brain structure and functional connectivity between experimental groups. Motor behavior and cognitive performance were unaffected by periadolescent exposure to LSD. Differences across experimental groups in brain volume for any of the 139 brain areas were few in number and not focused on any specific brain region. Multiple exposures to LSD significantly altered gray matter microarchitecture across much of the brain. These changes were primary associated with the thalamus, sensory and motor cortices, and basal ganglia. The forebrain olfactory system and prefrontal cortex and hindbrain cerebellum and brainstem were unaffected. The functional connectivity between forebrain white matter tracts and sensorimotor cortices and hippocampus was reduced with multidose LSD exposure. Does exposure to LSD in late adolescence have lasting effects on brain development? The bulk of our significant findings were seen through changes is DWI values across 74 brain areas in the multi-dose LSD group. The pronounced changes in indices of anisotropy across much of the brain would suggest altered gray matter microarchitecture and neuroplasticity. There was no evidence of LSD having consequential effects on cognitive or motor behavior when animal were evaluated as young adults 90-120 days of age. Neither were there any differences in the volume of specific brain areas between experimental conditions. The reduction in connectivity in forebrain white matter tracts with multidose LSD and consolidation around sensorimotor and hippocampal brain areas requires a battery of tests to understand the consequences of these changes on behavior.
Key numbers
74 of 139
Increase in
Significant changes in measures of across brain areas.
6.96%
Reduction in connectivity
Percentage change in degrees between multidose LSD and vehicle controls.
27.98 s
Time spent in center
Time spent in the center zone during the open field test for single-dose LSD group.
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CFF and PPK have a partnership interest in Ekam Solutions a company that develops 3D MRI atlases and makes radiofrequency electronics and holders for awake animal imaging. All other authors declare no competing interests.
