Hallucinogens Lecture Notes

Flashcards on Hallucinogens

Hallucinogens

A class of drugs that can cause hallucinations.

Mescaline

A hallucinogenic compound found in peyote cactus.

Psilocybin & Psilocin

Hallucinogenic compounds found in certain mushrooms.

Albert Hofmann

Swiss chemist who discovered the effects of LSD.

Sandoz pharmaceuticals

A pharmaceutical company where Albert Hofmann worked.

Lysergic Acid Diethylamide-25 (LSD)

A synthetic hallucinogen first synthesized in 1938.

Hallucinations

Illusions or distortions of sensory experiences.

Trip

A subjective experience during which there are distinct phases: Onset, Plateau, Peak, and Come-down.

Synesthesia

A neurological phenomenon where stimulation of one sense leads to experiences in another sense

Pharmacokinetics

The process by which drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted in the body.

Half-life

The time it takes for the concentration of a drug in the body to be reduced by half.

AUC

Area under curve, shows how much of drug is in the body over time

Pharmacodynamics

The study of the biochemical and physiological effects of drugs on the body and their mechanisms of action focusing on receptors.

Indoleamines

A class of hallucinogenic drugs that includes LSD, psilocybin, and psilocin and affects 5-HT receptors.

Phenethylamines

A class of hallucinogenic drugs that includes mescaline and affects 5-HT & NE receptors.

PFC

The prefrontal cortex an area of the brain implicated in 5-HT2A receptor activation during hallucinogenic experiences.

ACC

The anterior cingulate cortex, an area of the brain implicated in 5-HT2A receptor activation during hallucinogenic experiences.

Pharmacodynamic tolerance

The down-regulation of 5-HT2A receptors after repeated use of hallucinogens, leading to reduced effects.

Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS)

An organization that supports research and education on psychedelic medicines.

FDA

A federal agency responsible for regulating drugs and ensuring their safety and efficacy.

John Hopkins School of Medicine

A school of medicine conducting research on psychedelics.

Therapeutic Ratio

The ratio of a drug's effective dose to its lethal dose; a measure of drug safety.