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HealthyPhase 1LBLNCT05964647

Effect of Ketanserin, Olanzapine, and Lorazepam After LSD Administration on the Acute Response to LSD in Healthy Subjects

A Phase 1 study testing LSD (150 µg) + ketanserin (40 mg), LSD (150 µg) + olanzapine (10 mg) and LSD (150 µg) + lorazepam (2 mg) in people with Healthy, run by University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland at 1 site in Switzerland.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The main objective of this study is to determine whether administration of ketanserin (40 mg), olanzapine (10 mg), and lorazepam (2 mg) after administration of LSD (150 µg) attenuates and shortens the subjective LSD response (any drug effect) compared to administration of LSD (150 µg) alone Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 25 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Healthy
What is being tested?
LSD (150 µg) + ketanserin (40 mg), LSD (150 µg) + olanzapine (10 mg) and LSD (150 µg) + lorazepam (2 mg)
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
20 participants
Where
1 siteSwitzerland
Study dates
1 Feb 2024to 30 Jun 2025
Phase
Phase 1
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 25 to 65 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Age between 25 and 65 years
  • Sufficient understanding of the German language
  • Understanding of procedures and risks associated with the study
  • Willing to adhere to the protocol and signing of the consent form
  • Willing to refrain from the consumption of illicit psychoactive substances during the study
  • Abstaining from xanthine-based liquids and foods from the evenings prior to the study sessions to the end of the study days, limit coffee drinking ≤ 3 cups per day for 7 days prior to study day
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  • Participants must be willing not to drive a traffic vehicle or to operate machines within 48 h after substance administration
  • Willing to use effective contraceptive measures throughout study participation (according to Clinical Trial Facilitation Group (CTFG): Recommendations related to contraception and pregnancy testing in clinical trials)
  • Women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test at the beginning of the study. Pregnancy tests are repeated before each study session.
  • Body mass index between 18 - 29 kg/m2

Who cannot join

  • Chronic or acute medical condition
  • Current or previous major psychiatric disorder including psychotic disorder, mania / hypomania, borderline personality disorders.
  • Psychotic disorder or bipolar disorder in first-degree relatives
  • Known hypersensitivity to LSD, ketanserin, olanzapine or lorazepam
  • Hypertension (>140/90 mmHg) or hypotension (SBP < 85 mmHg)
  • Hallucinogenic substance use (not including cannabis) more than 10 times or any time within the previous two months
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  • Pregnancy or current breastfeeding
  • Participation in another clinical trial (currently or within the last 30 days)
  • Use of medication that may interfere with the effects of the study medication
  • Current substance use disorder (within the last 2 months)
  • Tobacco smoking (>1 cigarette/day)
  • Consumption of alcoholic beverages (>15 drinks/week)
  • Not exhibiting consistent startle responding on the screening day (i.e., over 75% discernible responses to six 108 dB 40 ms startle pulses), as this would preclude the ability to measure fear potentiated startle.
  • Use of strong CYP2D6 inhibitor
  • Use of strong CYP1A2 inhibitor or inducer

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Switzerland1 site
  • University Hospital Basel

    Basel, Canton of Basel-City, 4055

Other trials in Switzerland

About this study

The main objective of this study is to determine whether administration of ketanserin (40 mg), olanzapine (10 mg), and lorazepam (2 mg) after administration of LSD (150 µg) attenuates and shortens the subjective LSD response (any drug effect) compared to administration of LSD (150 µg) alone

Read the detailed description

LSD is investigated as treatment for various psychiatric (e.g., depression and anxiety) but also somatic disorders (e.g., cluster headache). In Switzerland, compassionate use of psychedelics including LSD is possible based on single authorizations of the federal office of public health in treatment-resistant patients. Additionally, current social and political changes demonstrate a shift of how psychedelics are seen and how they might be used in therapy in the future.

Despite the good safety profile of LSD, a broader use might increase the number of adverse psychological reactions to LSD. For such occasions, health professionals should have a tool to not only psychologically but also pharmacologically interfere and end states of acute psychedelic-induced distress. In clinical practice, the gamma-butyric acid (GABA) agonistic acting benzodiazepine lorazepam or the atypical neuroleptic olanzapine with affinity to the 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C and dopamine D1-4 receptors are primarily used for the treatment of drug-induced psychotic symptoms. However, the ability of these drugs to block these effects after LSD intake remains to be investigated.

The primary goal of the present study is therefore to investigate whether ketanserin, olanzapine and lorazepam administration after LSD administration might attenuate and shorten the LSD response compared to administration of LSD alone. Additionally, the present study examines changes in quality of the LSD experience after administration of ketanserin, olanzapine or lorazepam and effects on sensorimotor gating and sleep. The study provides insight into the receptor mechanisms involved in alterations of consciousness and specifically the relevance of ongoing 5-HT2A receptor stimulation in the mediation of the psychedelic response to LSD and psychotic symptoms.

Conditions
Healthy
Being tested
LSD (150 µg) + ketanserin (40 mg), LSD (150 µg) + olanzapine (10 mg), LSD (150 µg) + lorazepam (2 mg), LSD (150 µg) + placebo, Placebo + placebo
Keywords
LSD, Serotonin, Psychedelics

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • LSD (150 µg) + ketanserin (40 mg)Drug

    Drug: LSD (150 µg) per os, single dose

    Other: Ketanserin (40 mg) per os, single dose

  • LSD (150 µg) + olanzapine (10 mg)Drug

    Drug: LSD (150 µg) per os, single dose

    Other: Olanzapine (10 mg) per os, single dose

  • LSD (150 µg) + lorazepam (2 mg)Drug

    Drug: LSD (150 µg) per os, single dose

    Other: Lorazepam (2 mg) per os, single dose

  • LSD (150 µg) + placeboDrug

    Drug: LSD (150 µg) per os, single dose

    Other: Placebo (Capsules containing mannitol looking identical to the other drugs)

  • Placebo + placeboDrug

    Drug: Placebo (Capsules containing mannitol looking identical to the other drugs)

    Other: Placebo (Capsules containing mannitol looking identical to the other drugs)

Study groups in NCT05964647
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
LSD + ketanserinActive comparatorNot described
Receives: Drug: LSD (150 µg) + ketanserin (40 mg)
LSD+ olanzapineActive comparatorNot described
Receives: Drug: LSD (150 µg) + olanzapine (10 mg)
LSD+ lorazepamActive comparatorNot described
Receives: Drug: LSD (150 µg) + lorazepam (2 mg)
LSD + placeboActive comparatorNot described
Receives: Drug: LSD (150 µg) + placebo
Placebo + placeboPlacebo comparatorNot described
Receives: Drug: Placebo + placebo

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Duration of subjective response

    Visual Analog Scales (VAS) will be repeatedly used to assess subjective alterations in consciousness over time. VAS will be presented as 100 mm long horizontal lines marked with: "not at all" on the left and any drug effect", "good drug effect", "bad drug effect", "stimulated", "tiredness", "fear", "nausea", "alteration of vision", "alteration of hearing", "sounds seem to influence what I see", "alteration of sense of time", "the boundaries between myself and my surroundings seem to blur", "I gain insights into contexts that were previously mysterious to me", "opposites dissolve", "talkative", "happy", and "trust". Additionally, "my perception is…" from "muted" to "clear", "I feel …" from "relaxed" to "tense", and "I feel my thoughts are …" from "sluggish" to "racing". Subjects will mark the scale with vertical lines.

    Measured: 18 months

  2. Extent of subjective response

    Area under the curve (AUEC), Emax, of the VAS-Item "any drug effect"

    Measured: 18 months

Secondary outcomes (29)
  1. Alterations of consciousness

    Altered States of Consciousness 5 Dimensions of Altered States of Consciousness (5D-ASC) assesses mood, anxiety, derealization, depersonalization, changes in perception, auditory alterations, and reduced vigilance. The questionnaire is consisting of 94 items to be rated on a visual analog scale (horizontal line, 100 mm, marked with "not at all" on the left and "extremely" on the right), with higher values indicating stronger effects. Subjects will mark the scale with vertical lines.

    Measured: 18 months

  2. Mystical-type effects

    Mystical-type experience questionnaire (MEQ) assesses with 30 items (embedded into the SCQ) the mystical experiences on a 6-point Likert scale ranging from 0 ("not at all") to 5 ("extremely").

    Measured: 18 months

  3. Subjective effects I

    Visual Analog Scales (VAS) will be repeatedly used to assess subjective alterations in consciousness over time. VAS will be presented as 100 mm long horizontal lines marked with: "not at all" on the left and any drug effect", "good drug effect", "bad drug effect", "stimulated", "tiredness", "fear", "nausea", "alteration of vision", "alteration of hearing", "sounds seem to influence what I see", "alteration of sense of time", "the boundaries between myself and my surroundings seem to blur", "I gain insights into contexts that were previously mysterious to me", "opposites dissolve", "talkative", "happy", and "trust". Additionally, "my perception is…" from "muted" to "clear", "I feel …" from "relaxed" to "tense", and "I feel my thoughts are …" from "sluggish" to "racing". Subjects will mark the scale with vertical lines.

    Measured: 18 months

  4. Subjective effects II

    Adjective Mood Rating Scale (AMRS) assesses the occurrence and intensity of 60 moods on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from "not at all" to "extremely".

    Measured: 18 months

  5. Subjective effects III

    The Addiction Research Center Inventory (ARCI) is a true-false questionnaire with five empirically derived scales. The scale is administered once before, after 3 h, 10 h, and 24 h after LSD administration.

    Measured: 24 hours

  6. Psychotomimetic effects I

    The aberrant salience inventory (ASI) is a 29-item questionnaire rated as "yes" or "no" measuring trait aberrant salience, which has been hypothesized to be important for psychosis and psychotic disorders. The questionnaire will be administered once at the end of the session and subjects will be instructed to retrospectively rate peak alterations during the study session.

    Measured: 18 months

  7. Psychotomimetic effects II

    The psychotomimetic states inventory (PSI) consists of 48 items measuring "psychosis-like" experiences and is one of the most widely used measure of drug-induces psychotic-like effects. Items will be scored on a 4-point scale (0 = never to 3 = strongly). The questionnaire will be administered once at the end of the session and subjects will be instructed to retrospectively rate peak alterations during the study session.

    Measured: 18 months

  8. Effects of LSD on mindfulness and decentering I

    The 39-item Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) measures five facets of a general tendency to be mindful in daily life. The FFMQ will be completed by the participants at screening, the beginning of each study session (to assess respective baseline) and will be handed in to the participants at the end of the respective study visit and participants will be asked to complete the FFMQ at home 36 h after the study drug has been administered.

    Measured: 36 hours

  9. Effects of LSD on mindfulness and decentering II

    The 20-item Experience Questionnaire (EQ) measures decentering and ruminating. Decentering is defined as looking at one's own feelings from a distance, in an observing and objective way. The EQ will be completed by the participants at screening, at the beginning of each study session (to assess respective baseline) and will be handed in to the participants at the end of the respective study visit, and participants will be asked to complete the EQ at home 36 h after the study drug has been administered

    Measured: 36 hours

  10. Challenging experiences

    The Challenging Experiences Questionnaire (CEQ) was developed to characterize challenging experiences with psilocybin. The 26-item questionnaire is rated on a 6-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (none, not at all) to 5 (extreme, more than ever before in my life). The CEQ includes seven factors: "Fear"; "Grief"; "Physical Distress"; "Insanity"; "Isolation"; "Death"; "Paranoia", and a total score (Total) is calculated over all items. 9. The validated German version of the CEQ 153 will be administered once at the end of the session and subjects will be instructed to retrospectively rate their experiences during peak alterations during the study session.

    Measured: 18 months

  11. Effects on prepulse inhibition and sensorimotor gating

    Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response is an operational measure of sensorimotor gating that can be measured in animals and humans and serves as a preclinical model for schizophrenia. LSD and other serotonergic 5-HT2A agonists disrupt PPI in animals and in humans and PPI is also disrupted in schizophrenic patients. We will measure effects of LSD on sensorimotor gating function.

    Measured: 18 months

  12. Blood pressure

    Blood pressure, assessed 21 times during each study session via systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

    Measured: 18 months

  13. Heart rate

    Heart rate, assessed 21 times during each study session via heart rate, Emax.

    Measured: 18 months

  14. Body temperature

    Body temperature assessed 20 times during each study session via tympanic body temperature.

    Measured: 18 months

  15. Pupil size

    Pupil size, assessed 8 times during each study session via pupilometer.

    Measured: 18 months

  16. LSD concentrations in the blood

    LSD and metabolites concentrations measured in the blood plasma, assessed 17 times during each study session via blood samples.

    Measured: 18 months

  17. Ketanserin concentrations in the blood

    Ketanserin concentrations measured in the blood plasma, assessed 17 times during each study session via blood samples.

    Measured: 18 months

  18. Olanzapine concentrations in the blood

    Olanzapine concentrations measured in the blood plasma, assessed 17 times during each study session via blood samples.

    Measured: 18 months

  19. Lorazepam concentrations in the blood

    Lorazepam concentrations measured in the blood plasma, assessed 17 times during each study session via blood samples.

    Measured: 18 months

  20. Effects of LSD on sleep phases

    The Dreem® headband will record electroencephalographic (EEG; five dry electrodes yielding seven derivations), acceleration (3D accelerometer), and heart rate (red-infrared pulse oximeter) activity. We will further calculate sleep variables of %REM (REM sleep duration divided by total sleep duration), REM Latency (duration of non-REM sleep before the first REM phase), and REM Efficiency (REM sleep duration divided by the total REM episode duration) for each night. We will start the measurement 11 h after LSD administration until the end of the study day.

    Measured: 11 hours

  21. Persisting effects

    The 143-item Johns Hopkins University Persisting Effects Questionnaire (PEQ) seeks information about changes in attitude, mood, behavior, and spiritual experience items are rated on a six-point scale. The PEQ will be administered at the EOS visit.

    Measured: 18 months

  22. Adverse effects

    The adapted list of complaints (LC) consists of 50 items offering a global score measuring physical and general discomfort. The LC list is administered before, 12 h after LSD administration with reference to all complaints arising since the LSD administration, and at the end of the session with reference to complaints throughout the night. Subjects will additionally be asked to report any adverse events during the sessions or/and between study sessions as assessed at the beginning of the next session and at the EOS visit.

    Measured: 18 months

  23. Emotional effects

    Multifaceted Empathy Test (MET), effects on empathy in computer tests, assessed one time during each study session.

    Measured: 18 months

  24. Sleepiness

    The Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) measures the subjective level of sleepiness 161. The scale shows a 10-point scale from "1 - extremely alert" to "10 - extremely sleepy - cannot stay awake". The KSS will be assessed at the beginning and repeatedly in the evening and next morning of the study session

    Measured: 18 months

  25. Effect moderation through personality traits I

    Assessed one time during the screening via the NEO-Five-Factor-Inventory (NEO-FFI). The NEO-FFI assesses 5 personality traits (openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism) consisting of of 60 items. Each item is evaluated on a scale from -- "strong disagreement" to ++ "strong agreement".

    Measured: 18 months

  26. Effect moderation through personality traits II

    Assessed one time during the screening via Freiburger Personality Inventory (FPI). The FPI-R version comprises 138 items and covers 12 dimensions of personality: life satisfaction, social orientation, performance orientation, inhibition, excitability, aggressiveness, stress, physical complaints, health concerns, openness, as well as the secondary factors according to Eysenck's Extraversion and Emotionality (Neuroticism). It uses a 2-point scale ("true" and "not true").

    Measured: 18 months

  27. Effect moderation through personality traits III

    Assessed one time during the screening via Saarbrücker Personality Questionnaire (SPF). The SPF defines empathy as the "reactions of one individual to the observed experiences of another." It assesses 28-items on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from "Does not describe me well" to "Describes me very well". The measure has 4 subscales (Perspective Taking, Fantasy, Empathic Concern, Personal Distress) each made up of 7 different items.

    Measured: 18 months

  28. Effect moderation through personality traits IV

    Assessed one time during the screening via HEXACO personality inventory (Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness). The HEXACO consists of 100 items. Each item is evaluated on a scale from 1 "strong disagreement" to 5 "strong agreement".

    Measured: 18 months

  29. Effect moderation through personality traits V

    Assessed one time during the screening via Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ-40). The DSQ-40 can provide scores for 20 individual defenses, and scores for the three factors "mature", "neurotic", and "immature". Each item is evaluated on a scale from 1 to 9, where "1" indicates "completely disagree" and "9" indicates "fully agree".

    Measured: 18 months

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted28 Jul 2023
  2. Study start1 Feb 2024
  3. Primary completion30 Jun 2025
  4. Study completion30 Jun 2025

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 1
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Model description
Crossover Assignment
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
20 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05964647
Sponsor's protocol ID
BASEC ID 2023-01075
Acronym
LBL
Status last verified
Nov 2025
First submitted
19 Jul 2023
Last updated
17 Nov 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 1 study testing LSD (150 µg) + ketanserin (40 mg), LSD (150 µg) + olanzapine (10 mg) and LSD (150 µg) + lorazepam (2 mg) in people with Healthy, run by University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland at 1 site in Switzerland.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 10 inclusion and 15 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Nov 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Switzerland. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 1 studies test a treatment in a small group of people for the first time or in a new way, mainly to check safety and find the right dose.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Duration of subjective response (time frame: 18 months). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 17 Nov 2025.

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