Hallucinogens - Mescaline

Question 1

Trimethoxyphenethylamine has a street name of _____

Answer 1

mescaline

Question 2

Mescaline is classified as a ______ drug

Answer 2

hallucinogenic drug

Question 3

Phenethylamine is an alkaloid found in ____

Answer 3

plants (PEYOTE)

Question 4

Phenethylamine is structurally similar to ____, and implies what?

Answer 4

catecholamines - implies behavioural effects of reward and/or learning

Question 5

Phenethylamine is functionally similar to ___ and ___, what does this imply?

Answer 5

LSD and psilocybin - implies psychological effects related to hallucinations

Question 6

Ironically, phenethylamine is more similar to ______

Answer 6

amphetamine

Question 7

How is Phenethylamine made in plants?

Answer 7

results from a “stress-response” - some evidence that it provides a developmental function as well

Question 8

What has mescaline historically been used as?

Answer 8

a relative potency measure for other hallucinogens due to its accessibility/proliferaiton

Question 9

What is the problem with Peyote (the alkaloid found in plants)?

Answer 9

it includes 30 psychoactive alkaloids - other symptoms induce “hangover” (nausea, headache)

Question 10

Mescaline is an agonist or an antagonist?

Answer 10

agonist

Question 11

What is the debate with mescaline and its agonistic effects?

Answer 11

Norepi or Serotonin

Question 12

Serotonin results in _____. Discuss the visual and auditory components of this. What is the problem?

Answer 12

Hallucinations
-visual: distinctive “kaleidoscope” imagery, “animated stained-glass”
-auditory: synesthesia
PROBLEM: quantitatively different experience than LSD or DMT

Question 13

Norepinephrine is released in the ___ ___ and lead to what in the cerebral cortex?

Answer 13

locus coeruleus; leads to further glutamate release in cerebral cortex

Question 14

What does further glutamate release in the cerebral cortex from norepi result in?

Answer 14

hallucinations that are altered perceptions (illusions)

Question 15

How do you intake Mescaline? (two options)

Answer 15

ingestion of dried peyote buttons or mescaline pills (synthesized in lab)

Question 16

How is mescaline pills different from dried peyote buttons? (2)

Answer 16

difficult to pass BBB thus:

• requires more to produce smaller effect (compared to LSD)
• injection/insufflation is not effective (METABOLITES NOT ACTIVE)

Question 17

3 stages of Mescaline and amount of time they last?

Answer 17

1. Physiological effects (30min-1hr)
2. Psychological effects (1-2hrs)
3. Entheogenic effects (2hrs +)

Question 18

“sympathetic responses (alertness, vigilance, attention, memory) - physiological effect of _____ release”

Answer 18

this is stage 1 of mescaline - physiological effects

Blank: Norepi

Question 19

“visual, auditory ‘hallucinations’ - _____ cascade or independent response”

Answer 19

this is stage 2 of mescaline - psychological effects

Blank: serotonin

Question 20

“inner peace, tranquility, euphoria, dream like state - ____”

Answer 20

this is stage 3 of mescaline - entheogenic

Blank: dopamine

Question 21

Norepi release in locus coeruleus doesn’t put you to sleep, it actually causes a cascade of ____ in cerebral cortex

Answer 21

glutamate - this might mean it has implications for attention

Question 22

For mescaline to work, it needs to pass what?

Answer 22

first pass metabolism

Question 23

Mescaline abuse potential: an acute tolerance accrues with repeated use, but only to ______ properties - what does this imply?

Answer 23

hallucinogenic - implies no tolerance to dopamine

Question 24

Mescaline abuse potential: there is an acute cross-tolerance with LSD and psilocybin, what does this give evidence for?

Answer 24

evidence for an effect on serotonin

Question 25

Is there dependence seen in mescaline users?

Answer 25

no physical but yes psychological

Question 26

T/F: there is no physical dependence with mescaline, despite the accrued tolerance that occurs

Answer 26

true

Question 27

What are the long term symptoms of psychological dependance in mescaline users?

Answer 27

they are uncommon, but - long term symptoms of anxiety and panic can manifest in users, this occurs despite the negative sympathetic response

Question 28

Is there an observable dependence to Peyote?

Answer 28

nope!

Question 29

What is a debate when it comes to mescaline abuse potential?

Answer 29

potentiation of early/manifested onset of psychosis or mental illness

Question 30

How might mescaline work as a therapeutic drug?

Answer 30

attentional component?

norepi + dopamine

Question 31

Is there withdrawal in mescaline use?

Answer 31

people do not hit a withdrawal phase where they need the drug to stay alive

Question 32

How is mescaline used among indigenous traditions?

Answer 32

It is a part of indigenous ritualized processes - they don’t get psychological dependence