Serotonergic psychedelic: Difference between revisions

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Many serotonergic psychedelics, such as the family of [[tryptamines]], have very strong structural similarities to serotonin itself, which partially explains the affinity for certain 5-HT sites. It is almost unanimously agreed that most serotonergic psychedelics produce their effect by acting as strong partial [[agonists]] at the 5-HT<sub>2A</sub> receptors.

~~How this produces~~ the ~~psychedelic experience~~ is ~~unclear~~, ~~but it is likely that it acts~~ by ~~increasing excitation in~~ the ~~cortex~~, ~~possibly by specifically facilitating input from~~ the [[thalamus]], the ~~major relay for sensory information input~~ to the [~~[Cerebral cortex|cortex]~~].<ref>~~Hallucinogens |~~ http://www.~~sciencedirect~~.com/~~science~~/~~article~~/~~pii/S0163725803001657~~</ref>

The cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical loops<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3931688/] - Taylor SB, Lewis CR, Olive MF. (2013) The neurocircuitry of illicit psychostimulant addiction: acute and chronic effects in humans. Substance abuse and rehabilitation.; [..] The overall output of the basal ganglia is predominantly via the thalamus, which then projects back to the PFC to form cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) loops. [..]</ref> ("CSTC-loops") seem to be central to the function of psychedelics, which are also regulated by the serotonergic system. These control loops connect brain areas like the frontal lobe, the striatum and the thalamus; they aggregate, process and forward internal and external information.

The disruption of the neurotransmitter balance causes these control loops to collapse overwhelmed, leading to the flooding of the frontal lobe with neuronal excitatory glutamate; internal and external stimuli as well as all kinds of non-conscious contents can freely move up to the cerebral cortex and appear as visions in consciousness. <ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3181663/] - Vollenweider F. X. (2001). Brain mechanisms of hallucinogens and entactogens. Dialogues Clin. Neurosci. 3</ref><ref>[http://www.neuroculturelab.com/portfolio/edelrausch-im-labor/ Edelrausch im Labor] – ''Neuro Culture Lab'' (German)</ref> Furthermore, there is an over-activation of the locus coerlueus and thereby widespread [[norepinephrine]] secretion, causing a state of spiritual transcendence and sometimes even intense spiritual experiences.

Worth noting is that [[selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor]]s (a class of [[antidepressants]] including [[Paxil]], [[Prozac]], and [[Zoloft]]) can increase the dosage required for hallucinogenic effects of serotonergic psychedelics, in some people, based on anecdotal reports. Some users, however, have found this to be entirely untrue for them, so users who are using daily antidepressants should, at first, only attempt a common dosage.

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 Many serotonergic psychedelics, such as the family of [[tryptamines]], have very strong structural similarities to serotonin itself, which partially explains the affinity for certain 5-HT sites. It is almost unanimously agreed that most serotonergic psychedelics produce their effect by acting as strong partial [[agonists]] at the 5-HT<sub>2A</sub> receptors.
-How this produces the psychedelic experience is unclear, but it is likely that it acts by increasing excitation in the cortex, possibly by specifically facilitating input from the [[thalamus]], the  major relay for sensory information input to the [[Cerebral cortex|cortex]].<ref>Hallucinogens | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0163725803001657</ref>
+The cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical loops<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3931688/] - Taylor SB, Lewis CR, Olive MF. (2013) The neurocircuitry of illicit psychostimulant addiction: acute and chronic effects in humans. Substance abuse and rehabilitation.; [..] The overall output of the basal ganglia is predominantly via the thalamus, which then projects back to the PFC to form cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) loops. [..]</ref> ("CSTC-loops") seem to be central to the function of psychedelics, which are also regulated by the serotonergic system. These control loops connect brain areas like the frontal lobe, the striatum and the thalamus; they aggregate, process and forward internal and external information.
+The disruption of the neurotransmitter balance causes these control loops to collapse overwhelmed, leading to the flooding of the frontal lobe with neuronal excitatory glutamate; internal and external stimuli as well as all kinds of non-conscious contents can freely move up to the cerebral cortex and appear as visions in consciousness. <ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3181663/] - Vollenweider F. X. (2001). Brain mechanisms of hallucinogens and entactogens. Dialogues Clin. Neurosci. 3</ref><ref>[http://www.neuroculturelab.com/portfolio/edelrausch-im-labor/ Edelrausch im Labor] – ''Neuro Culture Lab'' (German)</ref> Furthermore, there is an over-activation of the locus coerlueus and thereby widespread [[norepinephrine]] secretion, causing a state of spiritual transcendence and sometimes even intense spiritual experiences.
 Worth noting is that [[selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor]]s (a class of [[antidepressants]] including [[Paxil]], [[Prozac]], and [[Zoloft]]) can increase the dosage required for hallucinogenic effects of serotonergic psychedelics, in some people, based on anecdotal reports. Some users, however, have found this to be entirely untrue for them, so users who are using daily antidepressants should, at first, only attempt a common dosage.