What are psilocybin a precursor to?
active ingredient “psilocin”
What is psilocin similar to?
similar to LSD (tryptamine) because it is a lipid-soluble indole
How is psilocybin taken?
ingestion because need first-pass metabolism to become active
What qualitative effects occur when taking a low dose of psilocybin?
social, warm, down to earth feelings (less confusion, grounded with self)
What qualitative effects occur when taking a high dose of psilocybin?
resembles LSD and extremely prone to “bad trips”
What happens to the high times if you take different doses of psilocybin?
the high times are all 2-5 hours despite dose
What is the general effect of psilocybin?
- similar to LSD but less intense
- partial agonist
Which receptors does psilocybin affect?
1) serotonin (5-HT 2A)
2) Dopamine ?
What affects results from psilocybin and serotonin 5-Ht 2A receptors?
- distort time perception
- subjective feeling of slowing down
- inability to coordinate tempo above 2-2.5 seconds
- prefrontal cortex
What effect is seen at low doses of psilocybin on 5-HT 2A receptors?
increase in sense of humour (most likely related to insula)
What effects result from psilocybin and dopamine receptors?
- basal ganglia
- may relate to permissive hypothesis because psilocybin has no affinity for D2 receptor
What is the “permissive” hypothesis?
if you have too much of one nt can convert to another (serotonin, dopamine)
Can psilocybin result in tolerance?
- acute: 4-7 days to dissipate
- cross tolerance: LSD and phenethlamines
- potentiation: MAO inhibitors prolong the high
Can psilocybin result in dependence?
no observable dependence
What is the mechanism that results in therapeutic effects of using psilocybin?
reduction of 5-HT 2A receptors
What are some therapeutic uses of psilocybin?
- alleviation of OCD symptoms
- anxiolytics
- Good Friday Experiment (mushrooms at church, leave a better person)
How long do the therapeutic effects of psilocybin last?
- weeks to months after treatment
- higher effectiveness and lower chances for toxicity
What makes psilocybin a better therapeutic treatment then LSD?
LSD results in more bad trips
What is ibotenic acid structurally and functionally similar to?
- structurally: glutamate (glutamate receptor agonist)
- functionally: acetylcholine (agonist to NMDA)
Is ibotenic acid active or it’s metabolite?
ibotenic acid and metabolite muscimol are active
How is ibotenic acid taken?
injested
What are the subjective effects of ibotenic acid?
euphoria and vivid coloured hallucinations
What are the objective effects of ibotenic acid?
sedation and dissociation
What causes the subjective effects to occur when taking ibotenic acid and what can prevent this?
1) excitotoxicity leads to brain-damage which causes subjective effects
2) dextromethorphan protects against excitotoxicity
