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Refferences and Further Reading
How Does LSD Affect the Brain?
Serotonin is a normal, necessary chemical transmitter of electrical impulses across the synapses (the gaps between nerve cell bodies). Many hallucinogens have similar chemical skeletons as serotonin (also referred to as 5-hydroxytryptamine or 5HT), and it is thought that this is how they effect the senses in the way that they do. Other examples beside ceratonin and LSD are dimethytryphenylptamine (DMP), psilocin, psilocybin and harmful alkaloids such as yaga[2] (see Further reading for more examples). All of the above belong to a group called indolearlkylamines.
Ceratonin LSD

As mentioned, serotonin is one of the main neurotransmitters in the nervous systems. serotonin is made and then transported, via the bloodstream, to the nerve cells throughout the body, but most importantly the neurons of the brain. Here they will accumulate in tiny, yet significant, doses.
The molecule serotonin is utilized by the nerve cells for the complete execution of electrical impulses across the synaptic gap (which is a discontinuity between each nerve cell in the entire nervous system). The impulses comes along the nerve cell going through the electro-chemical processes with the ionic forms of calcium and potassium (the two vitals of the nervous system) until they reach the terminal end of the cell's dendrites. Upon reaching the end of the electrical impulse is 'translated' into the neurotransmitter serotonin. This is then "emptied" out into synapse only to connect to a specific receptor on the other side of the cleft and so beginning the signal in the next nerve.
A Schematic of a Synapse

This system is common throuout the entire body, yet few molecules can penetrate what is known in biology as the "blood brain barrier". This is mainly due to the hydrophilic nature of the blood and hydrophobic nature of the brain. Those that can go straight to the neuron. After that it becomes a matter of their ability to imitate one of the neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters have a unique molecular shape and can only fit in a specific receptor on the synaptic surface (a kind of lock and key theory). In the case of LSD the receptor that is most effected is 5HT2A (a seratonin receptor site), although others 5HT receptors are also effected, such as the receptor for somatodendrite (5HT1A), and the receptor for dopamine. LSD is able to imitate serotonin and so block these receptors[7].

LSD, seratonin and other nurotransmitters compete for the receptor [2]

When LSD reaches the other side it is accepted but the message is carried no further. The impulse of electricity is redirected down less familiar pathways, pathways which have not been highly conditioned. Specifically, these affect the oldest parts of the brain first (e.g. upper end of the spinal cord, medulla oblongata, cerebrum, pineal gland and hypothalamus region) then the bloodstream takes it forward into the immediate back brain (location of sight interpretation) up through the area of hearing, the cerebellum, other sense interpretive centres, and the motor areas[7].

 
Labelled Picture of brain

Using radioactively tagged molecules of LSD, scientists have been able to follow the course of LSD through the various channels and avenues of the body. It has been found that after selecting certain areas of the various parts of the brain it then migrates to sections with fewer imprints, for instance the right hemisphere of the brain, the so-called creative centre. By redirecting consciousness, as it were, into the unimprinted areas of the cortex, one hypothetically experiences the world anew, hence the variety of interpretations which arise upon questioning psychedelic voyagers about their "trip" (for more information on these views see psychological views). Because of LSD's and serotonins effect on the pineal gland itself, it would seem quite likely there is a chemical relationship between mental illness and deficiencies of serotonin, and these may be able to be corrected using LSD. Intravenous doses have been administered to humans with no psychedelic effects noted. The effectiveness is debated, but it may well be possible to use LSD to treat mental illness, and research is still beening done in the field [6].