Synonyms
Psychedelics; Psychotomimetics; Entheogens
Definition
A precise definition of hallucinogens that would be universally accepted probably cannot be agreed upon. In the most general sense, hallucinogens produce an altered state of consciousness (ASC). They increase the intensity and lability of affective responses, and produce profound distortions of perceptual processes, including visual, auditory, somesthetic, and olfactory modalities. Marked alterations in mood, thought, and sensory perception also occur, including changes in the experience of time, space, and self that are rarely experienced otherwise except in dreams.
Characteristics
Many different types of chemical classes are capable of producing altered states of consciousness. Although some of them occasionally have been referred to as hallucinogens, the focus in this essay is on those molecules whose primary mechanism of action is mediated by effects on serotonergic neuronal systems: the serotonergic hallucinogens.
Hallu...
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References
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Nichols, D.E. (2009). Hallucinogens. In: Binder, M.D., Hirokawa, N., Windhorst, U. (eds) Encyclopedia of Neuroscience. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29678-2_2131
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29678-2_2131
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