Believing These 5 Myths About Device Keeps You From Growing

The UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics BCSP

Remarkably, R-DOI at doses as low as 0.01 mg/kg administered nose-only prior to OVA administration prevented the symptoms of allergic asthma from developing, including inflammation and eosinophilia. In mechanistic studies, cells of the lung were further analyzed by both gene expression and flow cytometry. Some, but not all, proinflammatory cytokines were found to be repressed in the R-DOI pretreated animals. For example, expression of IL-4, a proinflammatory cytokine implicated in asthma was unaffected by R-DOI, whereas expression levels of others including IL-5, IL-13, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor were all significantly reduced. These results suggested that unlike conventional anti-inflammatory treatments like steroids, which simply repress the immune system, R-DOI selectively targets only certain key components relevant to the pathology.

During the very early years, when LSD was considered to be somewhat of a miracle drug, the possibility was investigated that Psychedelics might be useful in ameliorating the symptoms of autistic spectrum disorders. Between 1959 and 1974, a number of studies were reported on the use of LSD to treat children with autism. Typically, after the drug was administered, the children were simply observed and their reactions were recorded in a narrative format. Thus, the resulting data were for the most part qualitative and were presented in a form that was highly subjective, potentially biased by observer expectations, and of unknown reliability and validity. Furthermore, when enthusiastic investigators obtained neutral or negative findings, they often were cast in a more positive light than was warranted.

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No association was found between psychedelic use and panic attacks, but psychedelic abuse and dependence were significantly related to an increased lifetime risk of panic attacks. It should be noted that in this study, however, phencyclidine was included in their survey as a psychedelic, and this substance, in contrast with the classic serotonergic psychedelics, can cause dependence. Bouso et al. compared 127 regular ayahuasca users with 115 actively religious controls who did not use ayahuasca. Baseline measurements were taken of general psychologic well-being, mental health, and cognition and the groups were then compared 1 year later to determine whether regular ayahuasca use had an effect on these measurements.

Murphy et al. used single-photon emission computed tomography imaging with a 5-HT2A–selective antagonist -radioligand (123I-5-I- R91150) to compare cortical density of 5-HT2A receptors in 10 healthy adult subjects and 8 adults with Asperger’s syndrome. They found that the Asperger’s patients had a significant reduction in cortical 5-HT2A binding in the total, anterior, and posterior cingulate; bilaterally in the frontal and superior temporal lobes; and in the left parietal lobe. They reported that reduced receptor binding was significantly related to abnormal social communication. It therefore seems possible that the use of a 5-HT2A agonist might improve functioning, at least acutely.

Acute adverse reactions were characterized by strong dysphoria and/or anxiety/panic, but occurred only at the two highest doses of psilocybin in a relatively small number of subjects. All acute adverse drug reactions were successfully managed through interpersonal support and did not require psychopharmacological intervention. Follow-up questionnaires indicated no subsequent drug abuse, persisting perception disorders, prolonged psychosis, or other long-term impairment of functioning in any of the subjects. The results indicate that the administration of modest psilocybin doses to healthy, high-functioning, and well prepared subjects in the context of a carefully monitored research environment carries an acceptable level of risk.

As the stigma of psychedelics is waning, more studies are showing the benefits these substances can offer to help treat a multitude of conditions, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, addiction and much more. Psychedelic originally described drugs — especially LSD — that made users experience bizarre, mind-bending sounds and images, real and imagined. Soon psychedelic was also used for music, art, and colors that seemed to fit a drug-induced haze.