Mechanisms of LSD :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Mechanisms of LSD a Glimpse into the Serotonergic SystemIn 1938, Albert Hoffman discovered, invented a substance that would revolutionize the American dose culture forever and would change how we, as psychologists and biologists, thought virtually(predicate) psychosis. That substance was LSD. A simple molecule, LSD has the potency that no opposite(a) drug has. Only a drop will produce the craved hallucinations and euphoria. In addition, it does not seem to be physically addicting, although tolerance to the drug can develop in as few as 3 days but disappears after week of abstinence. Much research has been done into the existent effects of the drug. LSD most profound effect on mien is the production of sensory distortions, such as hallucinations, and euphoria. It also produces dilated pupils, increased alliance pressure, and increased heart rate (7, 9). However, little is know about the mechanisms by which it acts. It is known that LSD affects the serotonergic system in the spirit. However, the true(a) paths in which it acts on that system to modify fashion remains unclear. Before we research the current research into LSD, it may be helpful to review well-nigh(a) of the trends in which serotonin affects behavior. Serotonin (also called 5-HT) is a neurotransmitter that is produced from tryptophan. Although serotonin is except produced by a small number of neurons (1000s), each of those neurons innervates as galore(postnominal) as 500,000 other neurons (3,12). For the most part, these neurons originate in the Locus Coerleus (LC) and the raphe Nuclei (RN) (12). The LC controls the release of norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter/hormone that regulates the sympathetic NS. It also has neurons that extend into the cerebellum, thalamus, hypothalamus, intellectual cortex, and hippocampus (12). The RN extends its projections into the headspringstem and up into the brain (12). It has been suggested that neurons in this vicinity of the brain may be respo nsible for the inhibition of sensation, thus defend the brain from sensory overload. (12) The fact that these two component parts innervate virtually either part of the brain shows that serotonin can activate large portions of the brain from a relatively small area of origination. Serotonin seems to have an restrictive effect on these neurons (1, 12). Thus, it would decrease the occurrence and frequency of action potentials in the neurons that it innervates. Because of this, it produces neural activity (of lack of activity) that are in some way an inhibition of behavior.Mechanisms of LSD Biology Essays Research PapersMechanisms of LSD a Glimpse into the Serotonergic SystemIn 1938, Albert Hoffman discovered, invented a substance that would revolutionize the American drug culture forever and would change how we, as psychologists and biologists, thought about psychosis. That substance was LSD. A simple molecule, LSD has the potency that no other drug has. Only a drop will produc e the sought after hallucinations and euphoria. In addition, it does not seem to be physically addicting, although tolerance to the drug can develop in as few as 3 days but disappears after week of abstinence. Much research has been done into the actual effects of the drug. LSD most profound effect on behavior is the production of sensory distortions, such as hallucinations, and euphoria. It also produces dilated pupils, increased note pressure, and increased heart rate (7, 9). However, little is know about the mechanisms by which it acts. It is known that LSD affects the serotonergic system in the brain. However, the actual ways in which it acts on that system to modify behavior remains unclear. Before we look for the current research into LSD, it may be helpful to review some of the ways in which serotonin affects behavior. Serotonin (also called 5-HT) is a neurotransmitter that is produced from tryptophan. Although serotonin is hardly produced by a small number of neurons (1 000s), each of those neurons innervates as many an(prenominal) as 500,000 other neurons (3,12). For the most part, these neurons originate in the Locus Coerleus (LC) and the raphe Nuclei (RN) (12). The LC controls the release of norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter/hormone that regulates the sympathetic NS. It also has neurons that extend into the cerebellum, thalamus, hypothalamus, rational cortex, and hippocampus (12). The RN extends its projections into the brainstem and up into the brain (12). It has been suggested that neurons in this region of the brain may be responsible for the inhibition of sensation, thus protect the brain from sensory overload. (12) The fact that these two regions innervate virtually every part of the brain shows that serotonin can activate large portions of the brain from a relatively small area of origination. Serotonin seems to have an inhibitory effect on these neurons (1, 12). Thus, it would decrease the occurrence and frequency of action potential s in the neurons that it innervates. Because of this, it produces neural activity (of lack of activity) that are in some way an inhibition of behavior.