Hallucinogens are substances that cause temporary alterations in consciousness commonly called "trips." Most known hallucinogens are illegal around the world but a psychedelic counterculture persists. While hallucinogenic drugs come from a variety of sources, such as plants, fungi, chemicals and even the occasional poisonous frog, they all work by manipulating the chemistry of the human brain. Due to the prohibition of hallucinogens, scientists still know little about how these substances affect the mind and what their potential uses may be. However, psychedelic research is experiencing a resurgence, including a Food and Drug Administration-approved study of psilocybin mushrooms, published in 2008 in the "Journal of Psychopharmocology."
Mimic Neurotransmitters
Hallucinogenic compounds are comprised of alkaloids that mimic the brain's own chemicals, causing temporary brain toxicity that results in altered perceptions, hallucinations, strong emotions, impaired thinking and dissociation. LSD and other triptamines like DMT and psilopsybe mushrooms mimic serotonin, while phenylethylamines like peyote, mescaline and DOI affect dopamine levels in complex ways. These neurotransmitters regulate many functions of the brain and body, including appetite, mood, emotions, sexual behavior and sleep patterns, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse.
Cause a Synaptic Ripple Effect
Many of the effectsof hallucinogens on the brain are unknown, but animal research suggests that more is going on than shifts in brain chemistry. Individual neurons may play a role. A 2006 study published in the journal "Neuropsychopharmacology" studied the effects of LSD and DOI on rats. These researchers from Yale University concluded that the psychedelics cause a "ripple effect" on the brain's synapses in which additional synapses are "recruiting" when others are stimulated. Researchers suggest this recruitment may explain some of the bizarre sensations, thoughts and feelings that occur during a hallucinogenic session.
Activate the Inferior Parietal Lobules
Hallucinogens distort the perception of time as well as impair memory during intoxication. A typical experience includes not being able to think about the past or the future, but rather focusing on the present moment. This effect can be pleasant or disturbing, depending on set and setting. MDMA research using fMRI brain scans reported in a 2009 article in "Neuropsychopharmocology" suggests that this memory impairment is associated with strong activation in the inferior parietal lobules of the frontal cortex.
Induce Flashbacks
Although scientists are not sure why, flashbacks that feel like hallucinogenic intoxication occur in people who use psychedelic compounds extensively over time. Most flashbacks are benign, pleasant experiences that spontaneously arise and fade away quickly. However, some flashbacks can be terrifying, long-lasting and repetitive. Known as Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder, this condition can be treated with pharmaceuticals such as clonidine, according to a 2002 study in the "Israeli Journal of Psychiatry."
References
- "Journal of Psychopharmocology": Mystical-type Experiences Occasioned by Psilocybin Mediate the Attribution of Personal Meaning and Spiritual Significance 14 months Later; R. Griffiths et al, August 2008
- National Institute of Drug Abuse: Hallucinogens - LSD, Peyote, Psilocybin, and PCP
- "Neuropsychopharmacology": Hallucinogen-Induced UP States in the Brain Slice of Rat Prefrontal Cortex; Evelyn K. Lambe and George K. Aghajanian; November 2005
- "Neuropsychopharmocology": Involvement of Inferior Parietal Lobules in Prospective Memory Impairment During Acute MDMA (ecstasy) Intoxication; J.G. Ramaekers et al; June 2009
- "Israeli Journal of Psychiatry": Flashback and Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder; A.G. Lerner; 2002
