Hallucinogens

Hallucinogens

drugs that produce distortions of perception and of one’s sense of reality without producing memory/intellectual impairment, delirium, or addiction

low

Hallucinogens still produce hallucinations at ___ doses

• LSA

• LSD

• Psilocybin

• Bufotenine

• Harmin

• DMT

• Mescaline

Examples of classic hallucinogens

Lysergic acid amide (LSA)

classic hallucinogen found in the seeds of the morning glory plant and Ergot fungus that grows on rye/wheat grain

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)

usually synthesized, but similar forms found in Ergot fungus

Psilocybin

classic hallucinogen found naturally in the psilocybe genus of mushrooms

Bufotenine

classic hallucinogen found in skin secretions of some toads and certain plants

Harmine

classic hallucinogen found in the tropical vines of South America

DMT

classic hallucinogen found in many South American plants (e.g. ayahuasca), some insect and amphibian species

Mescaline

classic hallucinogen found in the peyote cactus native to deserts of Mexico and southwestern U.S.

Psychedelics

a hallucinogen whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness, includes mescaline, LSD, psilocybin, DMT

Phantasticants

drugs that induce vivid perceptual experiences

Empathogens

drugs that induce feelings of empathy (outside oneself)

Entactogens

drugs that “touch within” (inside oneself)

Psychotomimetics

outdated term for psychedelics, drugs that induce psychosis

Club Drugs

recreational drugs used at dance clubs or raves

1. tunnels

2. spirals

3. lattices

4. cobwebs

List of hallucinatory patterns consistent across hallucinogens

Stage 1

Occurs when first taking psychedelic drugs, consists of common patterns overlayed on real-world objects

Stage 2

Occurs after psychedelic has fully taken effect, involves more intense hallucinations, people report seeing small animals and religious imagery

Classic Hallucinogens

compounds that contain an indol group, agonize serotonin receptors

Phase 1 of Psychedelic Use

It was originally thought that psychedelics could be used to learn more about psychosis (1930s and 40s)

Phase 2 of Psychedelic Use

Thought that psychedelics could be used as adjuncts to psychotherapeutic techniques (1950s-1970s)

Phase 3 of Psychedelic Use

Due to the controlled substances act, psychedelics became used primarily as street drugs

Timothy Leary

professor who used to work at Harvard, conducted the Marsh Chapel Experiment and championed psychedelic usage

MKUltra

tested to see if psychedelics could be used for psychological torture and mind control, get people to give classified information when under the influence

• cortex

• locus coeruleus

• raphe nuclei

• limbic system

Locations of the serotonin 5HT-2A receptor

Locus coeruleus

source of norepinephrine projections, novelty detector

raphe nuclei

where cell bodies of serotonin neurons live

Gordon Wasson

person who published an article in Time Magazine in 1957 that popularized psilocybin in America

psilocin

what psilocybin is metabolized into that acts on the brain

Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD)

also known as flashbacks, perceptual hallucinogenic effects that last days, months, or even years after using the drug (ex. trailing phenomenon, smears and halos around objects)

Psychoplastogens

a class of small molecule drugs that cause a window of neuroplasticity, results in increased dendritic complexity, spine outgrowth and synapse formation

Glutamate-dependent

Which kind of neuroplasticity is caused by psychoplastogens?

MDMA

a fully-synthetic hallucinogenic stimulant “club drug,” considered an empathogen and entactogen

catecholamine

Classic psychedelics are indol-like, MDMA is ________-like

Sasha Shulgin

solely responsible for the resurrection of MDMA, rediscovered and synthesized it in his own backyard lab, wrote papers about his own experience with it and experience of others, major proponent of MDMA as a psychotherapy adjunct