the creation of mental constructs , including the ego or sense of self . It surveils the internal milieu , thinks about the future and may be the foundation network for dreams . 1
The default mode network is sometimes described as the areas of the brain that are deactivated when we are paying attention or engaged in a specific task . Psychedelic drugs greatly diminish the activity of the DMN and increases the “ entropy ” of the system . So , in essence , psychedelics release and open the mind and can fundamentally change how someone views themselves , their situation or the world .
The story of the best known “ magic ” compound psilocybin makes the point of how stigmatizing attitudes can derail the scientific evolution of a not-so novel therapy . Psilocybin is produced by a family of mushrooms and was used by indigenous people of Mexico and Central America for centuries as a sacrament . Called teonanacatl or “ flesh of the gods ” by the Aztecs , the use was driven underground by the Catholic church after the Spanish Conquest in the 1500s . Not until 1955 did the magic mushroom emerge when R . Gordon Wasson ( banker from Manhattan and amateur mycologist ) tried the so-called magic mushrooms in Oaxaca , Mexico . Two years later in 1957 he published his story of “ mushrooms that cause strange visions ” in Life magazine .
Later in 1957 , an expedition to the area collected and identified a number of mushrooms of the Psilocybe species . They sent samples to Albert Hofmann at Sandoz in Switzerland , and his team synthesized a number of chemically related compounds with different degrees of psychoactive properties . Some were used in clinics in Europe for “ psycholytic therapy ” in which they were used in conjunction with psychotherapy for treating psychiatric conditions .
Sandoz marketed psilocybin under the brand name Indocybin to physicians and clinicians worldwide . This compound was found to be very safe . There were no reported serious adverse events when it was being used clinically ( In more recent studies since the 1990s , over 1,000 individuals have been dosed without any serious adverse events ). Harvard University started a program to research psilocybin in the 1960s led by Timothy Leary , PhD . As any of us born in the 40s and 50s remember , Leary was fired in 1963 with allegations that he was giving controversial lectures and suspect research practices - including giving psychedelics to undergrads in some studies as well as for taking psychedelics himself during the experiments . Leary was credited with the phrase , “ Turn on , tune in , drop out .” Richard Nixon described him as “ the most dangerous man in America .” In bureaucratic fashion , psychedelic counter-culture grew in the 1960s leading to Senate hearings to investigate the impact of the use of LSD and other psychedelics . Eventually LSD was banned in all states by the Staggers-Dodd Bill in 1968 .
Fifty years later and the curiosity has only grown . Scientific interest has focused on applications of the drugs for treating opioid addiction , Alzheimer ’ s disease , post-traumatic stress disorder , eating disorders and depression , among other diseases . Today , psilocybin and MDMA are illegal drugs in the U . S . classified by the federal government along with heroin and cocaine . However , ketamine , as an infusion and nasal preparation ( Spravato ), has gained FDA approval and is now in clinical use . Additional researchers – typically funded by private sources – are investigating other derivatives of these compounds .
In spite of the risks , the potential benefits could be enormous . The rate of fatal opioid overdoses will probably make use of psilocybin more acceptable to the public , after a “ war on drugs ” in the 1970s and 80s stymied all research into psychedelic substances for decades .
As with any therapy , side effects and risks need to be considered . The National Institute on Drug Abuse says there are many potential short- and long-term harms from hallucinogens . Users can see , hear and feel things that don ’ t exist , experiences that can be unpleasant , known as a “ bad trip .” Users can suffer increased heart rate and blood pressure , nausea , intensified feelings , loss of appetite , sleep problems , excessive sweating and panic , though others may have intense spiritual experiences and feelings of relaxation . Users also can be a danger if they drive . Over time , according to the drug abuse institute , users can suffer persistent psychosis , visual disturbances , disorganized thinking , paranoia and mood changes , among other problems .
It is possible to overdose on some hallucinogens , such as PCP , though serious medical emergencies are not common and not associated with drugs typically used in the research studies . Drugs also can be contaminated , and those trying to use psilocybin could consume poisonous mushrooms that look like the ones containing the compound .
Good science takes time , and most experts agree that it will be many years before we unlock the full potential of psychedelics . One common finding of psychedelic research is that even small doses give people “ the ability to change ” because of how they view themselves . It ’ s like giving them “ Ten years of therapy smashed into six hours .” 2
Researchers hope eventually to use their scientific data to change the legal status of the drug , though no researcher or advocate currently wants recreational use of psilocybin . Eventually , the research will go beyond development of new treatments for psychiatric disorders and move in to research in healthy people to improve their sense of well-being . In our highly anxious and contentious world , that would truly be “ magic !”
References
1
Pollan , Michael - How to Change Your Mind : What New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness , Dying , Addiction , Depression and Transcendence ” 2018 ( Penguin Books ).
2 https :// www . washingtonpost . com / national / health-science / new-johns-hopkinsresearch-center-tests-psychedelics-to-treat-mental-health / 2019 / 09 / 06
Dr . Wernert is the Executive Medical Director of Norton Medical Group and practices with Norton Behavioral Medicine .
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