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Mammalian Biosynthesis of Potential Psychotogens Derived from Dopamine

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Catecholamines and Behavior · 1

Abstract

Normal mental functions can be disrupted by many kinds of drugs. Hallucinogens are of special interest because of their ability to impair higher centers without producing substantial effect on other functions of the central nervous system. While the mechanism of action of hallucinogens has not been clarified, the striking structural resemblance between certain of these agents and several central nervous system transmitters has not gone unnoticed (Osmond and Smythies, 1952; Snyder and Merril, 1965). Mescaline, for example, bears a strong structural similarity to dopamine, and, among indoles, N,N-dimethyltryptamine and bufotenin resemble serotonin (Figure 1). The hallucinogenic properties of these biogenic amine congeners are well documented for mescaline (Kapadia and Fayez, 1970) and for the indoles (Fujimori and Alpers, 1970).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Millhauser Laboratories of the Department of Psychiatry, New York University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA

    Arnold J. Friedhoff & Jack W. Schweitzer

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  1. Arnold J. Friedhoff
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  2. Jack W. Schweitzer
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  1. Millhauser Laboratories of the Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA

    Arnold J. Friedhoff

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Friedhoff, A.J., Schweitzer, J.W. (1975). Mammalian Biosynthesis of Potential Psychotogens Derived from Dopamine. In: Friedhoff, A.J. (eds) Catecholamines and Behavior · 1. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-3135-3_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-3135-3_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-3137-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-3135-3

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