PS268 Chapter Notes - Chapter 14: Frank Olson, Cohoba, Catechol
MODULE III: Illegal Recreational Drugs
(Chapter 14
−
Hallucinogens)
Ch 14.1 − Animism and Religion
- Animism: belief that animals, plants, rocks, streams, etc., have characteristics from a spirit
within the object
o Ex. if plant contains spirit, then eating it will transfer spirit to person eating it
- Plants and their psychoactive effects are important reasons for spiritual/religious traditions
in many societies across the world
Ch 14.2.a − Terminology & Types
Terminology
- 1924 − Lewis Lewin classified psychoactive drugs as Phantastica
o Drugs that create a world of fantasy
- 1960s − psychedelic drugs:
o mind-viewing drugs
- Psychotomimetic Drugs: produce hallucinations and altered sense of reality
o Can be referred to as psychotic
o Implies that it produces dangerous effects and form of mental disorder
Types
- Entheogen:
o Substances thought to create spiritual or religious experiences
- Entactogen:
o Substances that produce a touching within
▪ Enhance feelings of empathy
- Hallucinogens:
o Substances that produce hallucinations
Ch 14.2.b − Phantastica
Phantastica
- Phantastica: altering perceptions while allowing person to remain with present world
o Aware of fantasy and real world
- Purer hallucinogenic effects
o Very little danger of dying of overdose
- Based off chemical structure − two types:
1. Indole
2. Catechol
Indole Hallucinogens
−
LSD
- Indole: chemical structure found in serotonin and LSD
- D-Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)
o Most potent and notorious − brought attention to hallucinogens in 1960
o Originally synthesized from ergot alkaloids from ergot fungus
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- Discovery & Research:
o 1938 − Albert Hoffman synthesized LSD
o 1943 − first effects recorded
▪ Took .25mg − 5.8x normal dose
o 0.05mg is usually effective, some can use 0.03mg
o LSD widely used as adjunct to psychotherapy
▪ Because dreams represent subconscious thoughts
▪ LSD took over as modern truth serum
o Two potential treatments with LSD:
1. Might be good treatment for alcohol dependence
2. Allows individuals that have terminal cancer to achieve a greater
understanding of their morality
o Most of the research was conducted on animals
▪ To understand neural level mechanism of action
- Secret Army/CIA Research with LSD:
o US army did research into hallucinogen use
o November 28th, 1952 − Frank Olson committed suicide
▪ After being exposed to LSD
o Wanted to use psychedelics for warfare and prisoner interrogation
o CIA and Canadian government collaborated to fund mind control/behaviour
modification research − Project MK-Ultra
▪ Investigated LSD effects on inmates and psychiatric patients
• Without their consent
▪ Claims that the research wasn’t about mind control
• But, was about extracting information − torture
- Recreational Use of LSD:
o 1960 − Timothy Leary used magic mushrooms
▪ Tested it on Harvard grad students
▪ Leary claimed that the experimenter should use the drug along with the subject
• Calls scientific value of research into question
▪ Fired from his position in 1963
o 1966 − Leary started League of Spiritual Discovery: LSD as sacrament
o Drug use spread quickly due to promise of:
▪ New sensations
▪ Potent aphrodisiac effects
▪ Kinship with peer group
o 1967/68 − drug use peaked, then started to taper off:
▪ Due to bad trips; prolonged psychotic reactions; possible
chromosome damage; self-injuries; and flashbacks
o 1980 − Leary talked about how to use drugs without abuse
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o Concerns about long-term effects restricted use/sale
▪ Punishable by law in 1962
- LSD Pharmacology:
o Odourless, colourless, tasteless
o Very potent
▪ Little LSD to produce effects
o Never definitely linked to one human overdose death
o Gastrointestinal absorption is rapid
o Half of LSD is metabolized every 3 hours
▪ Metabolized in liver and excreted
o Tolerance develops rapidly
▪ Recovery is also rapid − weekly use is possible
▪ Cross-tolerance has been shown
o No physical dependence has been identified
o Sympathomimetic Agent:
▪ Dilated pupils
▪ Elevated temperature and blood pressure
▪ Increased salivation
o LSD works by acting at serotonin receptors
▪ Most effects can be blocked by drugs that act as serotonin-receptor antagonists
o LSD acts as either an agonist or antagonist at different receptors
- The LSD Experience:
o Most important effect is modification of perception: visual images
▪ Low doses − described as illusions or perceptual distortions
o Some images can be seen with eyes open OR closed (therefore, not illusions)
▪ One stage − form-constants
• Shapes are combined with intense colours/brightness
▪ Another stage − complex images
• Landscapes/faces/objects are combined with form constants
o Alterations of:
▪ Sense of time
▪ Perception of body
▪ Auditory input
o Synesthesia: mixing of senses
▪ Sounds appear as visual images
▪ Images alter with rhythm of music
o Altered perception combined with enhanced emotionality
▪ May be related to arousal or sympathetic branch − autonomic nervous system
• May interpret image as exceptionally beautiful
o Because of intense emotion
• May also induce intense fear or sadness
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Document Summary
Module iii: illegal recreational drugs (chapter 14 hallucinogens) Ch 14. 1 (cid:498)animism and religion(cid:499) within the object. Animism: belief that animals, plants, rocks, streams, etc. , have characteristics from a spirit: ex. if plant contains spirit, then eating it will transfer spirit to person eating it. Plants and their psychoactive effects are important reasons for spiritual/religious traditions in many societies across the world. Ch 14. 2. a (cid:498)terminology & types(cid:499) (cid:498)mind-viewing(cid:499) drugs. 1924 lewis lewin classified psychoactive drugs as (cid:498)phantastica(cid:499: drugs that create a world of fantasy. Psychotomimetic drugs: produce hallucinations and altered sense of reality: can be referred to as psychotic. Implies that it produces dangerous effects and form of mental disorder. Entheogen: substances thought to create spiritual or religious experiences. Entactogen: substances that produce a touching within, enhance feelings of empathy. Phantastica: altering perceptions while allowing person to remain with present world: aware of fantasy and real world. Purer hallucinogenic effects: very little danger of dying of overdose.
