Week 2 Presentation Notes

PSYC 306 - Week 2 Presentations
Hallucinogenics
Todd Clements, MD

Every culture has plants that have psychedelic properties
Been used for thousands of years for religious ceremonies and medicinal purposes

Now a days we are speaking about chemicals, that are much more potent than the plants up to a 1000 times stronger

Talk about the “big 4”

LSD- Lysergic Acid Diethylamide
Ecstasy- MDMA
Ketamine
PCP Phencyclidine Hydrochloride

“Go on a trip” Can be good or bad

Good Trip
Mellow, Blissful, Calm, on the top of the world, increased empathy (even those you don't like) reduced inhibitions, increased insight, euphoria

Bad Trip
Anxiety, fear, panic attacks, increased thoughts, crazy, feel like going to do, sweating, nausea, paranoia flashbacks to trauma, memory loss,

Sensory experience on hallucinogenic drugs is difficult to predict.

People with psych problems like depression and anxiety have increased likely hood of “bad trips”

Hallucinogenic Properties:
-Hallucinations (no rope on table, but a snake is on the table)
-Illusion (rope on table is a snake)
-Delusions (fixed false belief)
-Anterograde Amnesia (Wake up next day, can not remember what happened)
-Synesthesia (crossing of the senses, see sounds, hear colors etc...)

Hallucinogens and Brain Chemicals
-Serotonin (5-HT2 Receptor)
-Some effect on dopamine, nor-epinephrine, acetylcholine)

Bind to serotonin receptor, increased free or unbound serotonin, effect mood and sleep,
Serotonin depleted brain afterward

Physical Effects
Increased Blood Pressure/Heart Rate
-Nausea/Vomiting
-Blurred Vision
-Enlarged Pupils
-Sweating
-Diarrhea
-Muscle Cramps
-Dehydration

After effects of usage:
-Confusion
-Fatigue
-Depression
-Damaged Serotonin Neurons (with frequent abuse)

Serotonin depletion (For next 2 weeks)

Includes numbness in emotions

LSD – 1938 Sandos Pharmaceuticals
FBI tested as a mind control drug in 1950s
Timothy Leary, 1960s way to get