"In the spring of 1965, several leading researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health set up an experiment with a small colony of squirrel monkeys, then with a slightly larger group of humans. Giving high doses of hallucinogens like LSD to each, they hoped to induce schizophrenia in their subjects, the better to study its underlying mechanism."
"Buoyed by optimism over other breakthroughs in neuroscience, they undertook the experiments in hopes of finding a cure for schizophrenia. Less hubristically, they wanted to improve its treatment, as first-generation antipsychotics like Thorazine, Mellaril, and Haldol came with a litany of side effects."
A new book details the historical experiments conducted in the 1960s to explore schizophrenia through hallucinogens and amphetamines. Researchers aimed to induce psychosis to study its mechanisms, driven by optimism for breakthroughs in treatment. Despite the initial hope for a magic bullet, the research led to significant discoveries regarding dopamine and opioid receptors, although early antipsychotics had severe side effects. The experiments were conducted before ethical guidelines were established, reflecting a different era in psychiatric research.
Read at Psychology Today
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