Hallucinogens

  • Prevelance

    • hallucingens use at some point in their lives: 10% of US pop

    • current users around 0.2% or 485,000 people

  • wide veritery of substances

    • produce powerful changes primaraly in sensory perception (trips)

    • Trageting the serotinin receptors (primarily 5HT2 class)

    • Natral hallucigens

      • Lysergic acid diethelamide (LSD) dirrived from ergot alkaliods (fungus)

      • Psilocbin (mushrroms)

      • Salvia

      • mescalin

    • Sythetic hallugins

      • Foxy (5-MeO-DIPT)

      • DMT

      • Ecstity, molly, MDMA

      • 2CB, 2CTI, 2CC2, ect

    • Danager both short and long

      • self injury, bad trips, flash backs, perminate and long term deficits

      • MDMA can lead to depletion of serotonin in the synapse

    • Broad mechainism

      • glutamate neurons in frontal cortex regulate VTA dopamine neurons

      • serotonin 2A receptors (5HT2A) activate these glutamate neurons and therefore increase dopamine in VTA

      • Too much dopamine going to Nac leads to hallucinations/psychosis

      • Activates 2 receptors and makes more dopamine in VTA

  • Other ways serotin affects dopamine and alter perception

    • serotin reaches down into neromodulators and effects how they interact with brain

  • Right brain/left brain

    • more callaboration between hemispheres