An interesting passage from TIHKAL

[darawk]

I was perusing the LSD entry in Shulgin's TIHKAL when I came across this rather disturbing paragraph:

I was at a meeting of a NIDA study section a few years ago, where some one presented some findings with a group of subjects who were complaining of continuing mental problems alledgedly due to LSD exposure. A chart was put up showing the outline of the brain showing the locations of the EEG foci that were observed in one of these subjects. Along side it was a PET scan showing the distribution of radioactive LSD in a subject. The purpose was to discuss the similarities and differences of the coordinates of electrical activity and radio-isotope concentration. I innocently asked what positron isotope had been used, as I did not know of any successful positron labelling of LSD. Carbon 11, I was told. Where in the molecule was the label incorporated, I asked. In the 1-position methyl group. It was finally acknowledged that the compound that had actually been used was 2-iodo-1-methyl-LSD, our MIL compound, which is quite a different world. A pharmacologist might say that they are similar in action (looking at serotonin, not psychedelic action), and achemist might say they are of similar structure (looking at the upper 80% of the moledule. But they are different compounds. This is a most subtle form of deceit. It is, in fact, out and out dishonest, but it looks good up there on the screen at a lecture.

I wonder which of the multitude of LSD myths this botched experiment was used to support.