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Breakthrough Study Reveals How LSD Dissolves a Person's Sense of Self (newatlas.com)
New submitter future guy shares a report from New Atlas: A fascinating study led by scientists at the University of Zurich has uncovered key insights into the mechanisms behind how our brain generates our sense of self. The researchers administered lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) to several participants in order to home in on where in the brain our sense of self is activated and what happens when a powerful psychedelic drug interferes with that process. The study administered 24 subjects either LSD, LSD in combination with ketanserin, or a placebo. Ketanserin is a compound that is known to inhibit many of the effects of LSD by blocking the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2A receptor). Each subject lay in an MRI scanner while undergoing a series of social interaction simulations with a virtual avatar. As well as the brain imaging, the subjects' eye movements were monitored to track when they were or were not following the gaze of the virtual avatar.
The study demonstrated LSD-altered brain activity in several regions previously identified as fundamental for developing coherent self-representation during social interaction, including the posterior cingulate cortex, medial prefrontal cortex and the angular gyrus. Most importantly though was the observation that ketanserin normalized the effects of LSD to the point where the group influenced by ketanserin and LSD displayed similar results to those under the effect of the placebo. These results strongly suggest that the 5-HT2A receptor plays a fundamental role in the development of self-awareness, and differentiation between the self and others. The value of this research is two-fold. As well as simply increasing our knowledge of how the brain functions under the influence of psychedelic drugs, it is suggested that different psychiatric conditions could be treated by manipulating the 5-HT2A receptor pathways. The study has been published in the journal JNeurosci.
The study demonstrated LSD-altered brain activity in several regions previously identified as fundamental for developing coherent self-representation during social interaction, including the posterior cingulate cortex, medial prefrontal cortex and the angular gyrus. Most importantly though was the observation that ketanserin normalized the effects of LSD to the point where the group influenced by ketanserin and LSD displayed similar results to those under the effect of the placebo. These results strongly suggest that the 5-HT2A receptor plays a fundamental role in the development of self-awareness, and differentiation between the self and others. The value of this research is two-fold. As well as simply increasing our knowledge of how the brain functions under the influence of psychedelic drugs, it is suggested that different psychiatric conditions could be treated by manipulating the 5-HT2A receptor pathways. The study has been published in the journal JNeurosci.
I can't imagine dropping acid and then just lying in an MRI scanner.
One of the remaining legacies of colonialism is the suppression of psychedelics. They were used in religious rituals for thousands of years in the Americas, and as such a sacrement, their use is in fact a constitutionally protected right.
-The art of programming is the pursuit of absolute simplicity.
Even more disturbing is the fact that the government refuses to accept any thereputic value to weed or the harder stuff.
Yet ketemine seems to accutely end severe suicidal idealation. MDMA can be great for therapy (couples or PTSD). LSD plus therapy while on it looks promising for addiction to more dangerous substances (alcohol included). Mushrooms microdoesed for depression (anecdotally, this is a more tenuous claim than the others).
All of this, but the government decided there is no thereputic value, and judges decided no legal argument can be made to strike down the laws.
Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg