Study examines what really happens to your brain on LSD

This is your brain on acid. No, seriously...

New research conducted by PNAS (the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) and spearheaded by professor Robin Carhart-Harris from Imperial College London has drawn some pretty astounding conclusions about the physiological effects of LSD on the human brain.

via Giphy / LoveDove

By using the best in modern neuroimaging scans to visualise the inside a subject's brain during an acid trip the team have managed to record the well-known “ego-dissolution” sensation and "abstract meaning" feeling that come from consuming LSD in real time. 20 subjects were chosen for participation in the trials, each administered with 75mcg of pure LSD. All were measured for chemical changes, changes in body temperature and blood flow, all had previous experience using LSD recreationally.

via PNAS / Robin Carhart

In an interview with Gizmodo, Prof. Carhart explains that, due to stringent legal restrictions, studies into the scientific and therapeutic value of LSD are difficult to conduct:

"This study tells us not just about what LSD does, but also the nature of normal brain function. Under LSD, consciousness is still intact—but what’s missing is this sense of self, a sense of having an ego. Psychedelics are a stark reminder that the sense of self that we have is kind of precarious."

Strikingly, Carhart's results found that participants on LSD expressed "a striking expansion of communication" with speech becoming "less restricted" and "less confined to the visual system".  Essentially, your brain is better able to "think in pictures" while on acid.

via PNAS / Robin Carhart

The various brain networks which deal with vision, attention, movement and hearing became "far more connected", according to the finding, leading to what looked like a “more unified brain” in some participants. Researchers also concluded that their findings were consistent with the notion of “seeing with your eyes-shut” under psychedelics that many users report. The test confirm that under LSD more brain areas than normal contribute to visual processing. Which I guess explains the hallucinations. Next time you drop, remember: You're not actually going mad. You really are seeing things that aren't there.

via PNAS / Robin Carhart

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