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Cluster HeadachePhase 2LCHNCT03781128

Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) as Treatment for Cluster Headache

A Phase 2 study testing Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in people with Cluster Headache, run by University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland at 1 site in Switzerland.

Active, not recruiting

Under way, not looking for participants. Everyone needed has enrolled. The study is still running.

Official record
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Trial summary

Background: After no official research in humans in the last 40 years, research and therapeutic uses of the serotonergic psychedelic lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) are now re-recognized and include its use in brain research, alcoholism, anxiety associated with terminal illness, and treatment of headache disorders. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 25 to 75 years
Conditions the study is for
Cluster Headache
What is being tested?
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
30 participants
Where
1 siteSwitzerland
Study dates
2 Jan 2019to Oct 2027
Phase
Phase 2
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

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 75 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Age ≥ 25 and ≤ 75 years
  • Chronic cluster headache (according to the International Headache Society (IHS) criteria) OR
  • Episodic cluster headache (according to the IHS criteria) with recurrent predictable episodes lasting approximately 2 months and expected ongoing cluster period for at least one month beyond the inclusion
  • Attacks respond to oxygen
  • Sufficient understanding of the study procedures and risks associated with the study
  • Participants must be willing to adhere to the study procedures and sign the consent form
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  • Participants are willing to abstain from taking preventive and abortive medication (except from oxygen) long enough before and after the LSD/placebo treatment session to avoid the possibility of a drug-drug interaction
  • Participants are willing to refrain from taking any psychiatric medications during the experimental session period. If they are being treated with antidepressants, lithium or are taking anxiolytic medications on a fixed daily regimen, such drugs must be discontinued long enough before the LSD/placebo treatment session to avoid the possibility of a drug-drug interaction.
  • Participants must also refrain from the use of any psychoactive drugs and caffeine within 24 hours of each LSD/placebo treatment session. They must agree not to use nicotine for at least 2 hours before and 6 hours after each dose of LSD. They must agree to not ingest alcohol-containing beverages for at least 1 day before each LSD treatment session. Non-routine medications for treating breakthrough pain taken in the 24 hours before the LSD treatment session may result in rescheduling the treatment session to another date, with the decision at the discretion of the investigators after discussion with the participant.
  • Participants must be willing not to drive a traffic vehicle or to operate machines within 24 hours after LSD/placebo administration.

Who cannot join

  • Other forms of headache attacks (migraine, paroxysmal hemicranias, shortlasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with conjunctival injection, tearing, sweating and rhinorrhea (SUNCT) or with cranial autonomic symptoms (SUNA))
  • Women who are pregnant, nursing or of child-bearing potential and are not practicing an effective means of birth control (double-barrier method, i.e. pill/intrauterine device and preservative/diaphragm)
  • Past or present diagnosis of a primary psychotic disorder. Subjects with a first degree relative with psychotic disorders are also excluded.
  • Past or present bipolar disorder (DSM-IV).
  • Current substance use disorder (within the last 2 months, DSM-V, except nicotine).
  • Somatic disorders including severe cardiovascular disease, untreated hypertension (systolic blood pressure > 160mmHg without treatment, systolic blood pressure > 140 mmHg with treatment), severe liver disease (liver enzymes increase by more than 5 times the upper limit of normal) or severely impaired renal function (estimated creatinine clearance <30 ml/min), or other that in the judgement of the investigators pose too great potential for side effects.
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  • Weight < 45kg
  • Participation in another clinical trial (currently or within the last 30 days)
  • Participants taking higher steroid doses (>10mg/d) over a longer time period (>2 weeks), as this would require tapering
  • Use of immunomodulatory agents (i.e. azathioprine) in the past 2 weeks
  • Use of serotonergic antiemetics (i.e. ondansetron) in the past 2 weeks

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Switzerland1 site
  • Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, University Hospital Basel

    Basel, Basel, 4031

Other trials in Switzerland

About this study

Official title: Safety and Efficacy of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) as Treatment for Cluster Headache: a Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Phase II Study

Background: After no official research in humans in the last 40 years, research and therapeutic uses of the serotonergic psychedelic lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) are now re-recognized and include its use in brain research, alcoholism, anxiety associated with terminal illness, and treatment of headache disorders. Specifically, LSD has been reported to abort attacks, to decrease frequency and intensity of attacks, and to induce remission in patients suffering from cluster headache (CH).

Objective: To investigate the effects of an oral LSD pulse regimen (3 x 100 µg LSD in three weeks) in patients suffering from CH compared with placebo.

Read more

Design: Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled two-phase cross-over study design.

Participants: 30 patients aged ≥ 25 and ≤ 75 years with chronic or episodic CH with predictable periods lasting approximately 2 months and attacks responding to oxygen.

Main outcome measures: Changes in frequency and intensity of CH attacks assessed with a standardized headache diary Significance: CH is often rated as the most painful of all primary headaches, which not only causes significant disability, but is also associated with enormous personal, economic, and psychiatric burden. At the moment, there is no specific treatment available for CH, but serotonergic compounds represent an important drug class, especially in the abortive management of cluster attacks. However, there is a need for new treatment approaches, as CH is also often insufficiently managed with available medication. This study will evaluate the potential benefit and safety of a treatment with LSD for patients with CH.

Being tested
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, Placebo
Keywords
lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), serotonin, hallucinogen, cluster headache
Medical subject headings
Cluster Headache

What participants receive

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

  • Lysergic Acid DiethylamideDrug

    Also called LSD

    100 µg, per os, 3 times within 3 weeks

  • PlaceboDrug

    placebo in an identical-looking vial as LSD, per os, 3 times within 3 weeks

Study groups in NCT03781128
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
LSD, PlaceboOtherLysergic acid diethylamide (3 x 100 µg LSD in three weeks, per os) followed by Placebo
Receives: Drug: Lysergic Acid Diethylamide; Drug: Placebo
Placebo, LSDOtherPlacebo (3 x 1 vial looking like LSD in three weeks, per os) followed by Lysergic acid diethylamide
Receives: Drug: Lysergic Acid Diethylamide; Drug: Placebo

What is being measured

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

  1. Change in frequency of the cluster headache attacks

    assessed with a standardized headache diary, within-subjects analysis

    Measured: 8 weeks before and after pulse regimen

  2. Change in intensity of the cluster headache attacks

    assessed with a standardized headache diary, within-subjects analysis

    Measured: 8 weeks before and after pulse regimen

Secondary outcomes (29)
  1. Episode abortion

    assessed with a standardized headache diary

    Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year

  2. Change in duration of attacks

    assessed with a standardized headache diary

    Measured: 8 weeks after pulse regimen

  3. Time to first attack after completion of pulse regimen

    assessed with a standardized headache diary

    Measured: 8 weeks after pulse regimen

  4. Cumulative time with headache

    assessed with a standardized headache diary

    Measured: 8 weeks after pulse regimen

  5. Change in cluster period duration and interval between cluster periods

    assessed with a standardized headache diary

    Measured: 8 weeks after pulse regimen

  6. Number of attacks requiring abortive medication

    assessed with a standardized headache diary

    Measured: 8 weeks after pulse regimen

  7. Number of Attack-associated autonomic symptoms

    assessed with a standardized headache diary

    Measured: 8 weeks after pulse regimen

  8. Quality of life assessed by questionnaires: 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36)

    assessment with the validated 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36), which measures health-related quality of life

    Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year

  9. Quality of life assessed by questionnaires: 5-level EuroQoL-5D (EQ-5D-5L)

    assessment with the 5-level EuroQoL-5D (EQ-5D-5L), which is a standardized instrument developed by the EuroQol Group as a measure of health-related quality of life

    Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year

  10. Quality of life assessed by questionnaires: Headache Impact Test (HIT-6)

    assessment with the Headache Impact Test (HIT-6), which measures the adverse impact of headache on social functioning, role functioning, vitality, cognitive functioning and psychological distress.

    Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year

  11. Effects on depressive /anxious symptoms assessed by questionnaires: State-trait anxiety inventory (STAI)

    assessment with the State-trait anxiety inventory (STAI), which measures anxiety

    Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year

  12. Effects on depressive /anxious symptoms assessed by questionnaires: Generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7)

    assessment with the Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7), which measures anxiety

    Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year

  13. Effects on depressive /anxious symptoms assessed by questionnaires: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)

    assessment with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), which measures anxiety and depression severity

    Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year

  14. Effects on depressive /anxious symptoms assessed by questionnaires: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)

    assessment with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), which measures depression

    Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year

  15. Effects on depressive /anxious symptoms assessed by questionnaires: Patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)

    assessment with the Patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), which measures depression

    Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year

  16. Acute autonomic effects assessed by blood pressure

    systolic and diastolic blood pressure in mmHg

    Measured: 10 hours after drug administration

  17. Acute autonomic effects assessed by heart rate

    heart rate in beats per minute

    Measured: 10 hours after drug administration

  18. Acute autonomic effects assessed by body temperature

    body temperature in °Celsius

    Measured: 10 hours after drug administration

  19. Adverse Events

    adverse events will be recorded

    Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year

  20. Acute psychological effects assessed by questionnaire Visual analogue scales (VAS)

    assessment of subjective effects using visual analogue scales

    Measured: 10 hours after drug administration

  21. Acute psychological effects assessed by SCQ

    assessed with the states of consciousness questionnaire (SCQ)

    Measured: 10 hours after drug administration

  22. Acute psychological effects assessed by questionnaire 5-dimensions of altered states of consciousness

    assessed with the 5-dimensions of altered states of consciousness questionnaire (5D-ASC)

    Measured: 10 hours after drug administration

  23. Persisting effects attributed to the LSD experience

    assessment of persisting effects with the persisting effects questionnaire (PEQ) which assesses changes in attitude, mood, behavior and spiritual experience. The questionnaire will be completed at the beginning, after pulse regimens, and at the end of the study.

    Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year

  24. Change of attack frequency at the end of the study compared with baseline

    pre-post study comparison in all subjects, assessed with a standardized headache diary

    Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year

  25. Change of attack intensity at the end of the study compared with baseline

    pre-post study comparison in all subjects, assessed with a standardized headache diary

    Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year

  26. Change in attack frequency before and after pulse regimen

    between-subjects analysis before cross-over, assessed with a standardized headache diary

    Measured: 8 weeks after first pulse regimen

  27. Change in attack intensity before and after pulse regimen

    between-subjects analysis before cross-over, assessed with a standardized headache diary

    Measured: 8 weeks after first pulse regimen

  28. Blinding

    patients and investigators will be asked at the end of a study day and and the end of the study visit to guess the drug treatment

    Measured: after study days and at the end of study visit

  29. Expectancy

    a modified 2-item version of the Credibility / Expectancy Questionnaire (CEQ) will be used

    Measured: at screening

Timeline

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

  1. First posted19 Dec 2018
  2. Study start2 Jan 2019
  3. Primary completionOct 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completionOct 2027 (estimated)

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 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Model description
Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled two-phase cross-over study design.
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
30 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03781128
Sponsor's protocol ID
BASEC 2018-01082
Acronym
LCH
Status last verified
Oct 2026
First submitted
7 Nov 2018
Last updated
3 Nov 2026
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 2 study testing Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in people with Cluster Headache, 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 11 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: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 3 Nov 2026. 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. 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 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

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

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

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?

Change in frequency of the cluster headache attacks (time frame: 8 weeks before and after pulse regimen). 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 3 Nov 2026.

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