Chromosomal damage in human leukocytes induced by lysergic acid diethylamide.

Addition of lysergic acid diethylamide to cultured human leukocytes resulted in a marked increase of chromosomal abnormalities. The distribution of chromosome breaks deviated significantly from random, with an accumulation of aberrations in chromosome No. 1. Cytogenetic investigation of a patient extensively treated with this drug over a 4-year period for paranoid schizophrenia showed a similar increase in chromosomal damage.