Ch. 14 Hallucinogens Flashcards
what is a hallucinogen?
a drug that distorts perception of sensory information. this distortion is at the level of the brain; the sensory organs are not affected.
there are several categories of hallucinogens but technically, only a few are true hallucinogens.
What perceptions can be altered due to hallucinogens?
depth and distance perception, other visual perception, time perception, sound, etc.
What plants were hallucinogens originally based on?
Psilocybin mushrooms, peyote cacti, amanita mushrooms, and the Banisteriopsis caapi vine from which ayahuasca is made.
What have LSD and MDMA (ecstasy) been used for?
“enlightenment” and spiritual pursuit and to spur creativity. the current trend of microdosing is claimed to boost creativity and improve mood
What can classic hallucinogens (phantastic) such as LSD and psilocybin cause?
- altered perceptions with the sense of having one foot in the real world
- spatial perception and time perception are very distorted
- synesthesia may be experienced and “trails” may be seen with moments
- increased emotionality may account for feelings of awe or creativity
- mild stimulant-like effects such as wakefulness
- occasionally there are fearful or panic reactions to the change in perceptions
- movement or pulsing or color changes may be perceived
Negative aspects of LSD
- LSD may precipitate psychosis in vulnerable people; the degree of risk has never been fully substantiated
- flashbacks are sometimes reported, although they tend to be fairly short term
- LSD effects are somewhat unpredictable, even in people who have used it before
- these possible effects of LSD caused increased opposition; it is now a schedule 1 drug although its abuse liability is fairly mild
- no one has died directly from LSD poisoning
Project MKUltra
- a US governmental research endeavor carried out by the CIA
- investigated properties of LSD to determine if it could be used to manipulate enemies or improve interrogation
- initial tests used willing volunteers but eventually was done to people without their knowledge
- sometime researchers themselves didn’t know the drug they were giving or studying
LSD
- LSD psychedelic effects are primarily due to agonist activity at 5-HT(2A)
- has been considered as a model of schizophrenia but the state it produces is not that similar to schizophrenia
- was thought to be potentially useful in psychotherapy, although investigations were curtailed when it was made illegal
- one of the most potent drugs known; it is effective in micrograms
Psilocybin
- a product of the psilocybin mushroom
- has the indole structure and affects serotonin receptors
- effects are similar to LSD, as is the lack of toxicity
DMT
- found in plants and is found in the plants used to make ayahuasca; it is short-acting in the absence of a MAO-inhibitor
- generally sniffed or smoked; it is broken down by MAO too quickly to be used orally alone. With a MAO-I, it can be taken orally and lasts much longer
- ayahuasca is made from combining a plant with DMT and one with an MAO-I
- DMT binds to 5HT-2A receptors as does LSD, but also interacts with other 5HT receptors
what systems do catechol hallucinogens affect?
Serotonin and dopamine
- have a stimulant aspect, although they are not usually used for stimulant effects
- can be fatal in overdose
- two most common are an old drug, mescaline (found in peyote) and a new drug, MDMA or ecstasy
Mescaline
- used legally in spiritual ceremonies by the Native American Church
- the active ingredient in peyote
- dried portions (buttons) of the peyote cactus are chewed and swallowed
- mescaline is absorbed but not distributed all that well into the brain because it doesn’t pass the BBB very well
- is not metabolized completely; much is excreted in urine fairly intact
- effective for about 4 hours
- schedule 1 drug with an exception for the Native American Church
MDMA
- promotes release of serotonin (and dopamine to a lesser degree) from neuron terminals in a way similar to ampthetamines’ effect on dopamine terminals
- effects last about 5 hours
- reported to produce feelings of euphoria, “openness” and desire for physical contact from other people
- negative effects include jaw tension and teeth grinding, a hangover, and hyperthermia
- can cause death
- research suggests it can lead to damage to serotonin nerve terminals
Deliriants
these drugs produce more of a dissociative effect than the effect we think of as hallucinogenic. unlike some of the other drugs, a person under the effect of these drugs may not really understand reality and can lose track of the fact they are experiencing a drug effect. they can be fatal in overdose
Phencyclidine (PCP, angel dust)
- PCP (and ketamine) were first developed as anesthetics
- was found to produce unpredictable psychological effects in humans and was abandoned for human use
- reputation of PCP causing increased strength or belligerence is probably in large part because it’s an anesthetic
- can be smoked, snorted, or swallowed. effects can last 4-6 hours
- interferes with the functions of NMDA receptors by blocking the ion channels that the receptors gate, a very unusual effect. there are no other effects and it is unclear how they contribute to the subjective effects
- most PCP available is illicitly manufactured. manufacture is not difficult is you have basic chemistry lab equipment and some experience
