polytrip said:
got any source on that?
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How do drugs increase serotonin levels in the brain?
- Thread starter g13juggalo
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got any source on that?
I've have read this a dozen times, but the first source that springs to mind is the scientific american MIND volume 18 no 6 december 2007.endlessness said:
The picture on the opening page of the article is your avatar, btw:d
what's preposterous is that people still think the pineal gland theory is plausible, despite the lack of evidence
:roll:
:roll:
Elpo
Rising Star
[/quote]
I've have read this a dozen times, but the first source that springs to mind is the scientific american MIND volume 18 no 6 december 2007.
The picture on the opening page of the article is your avatar, btw:d [/quote]
That article you are talking about is Psychedelic Healing right?
Unfortunately I don't have acess to it. If anyone can post a link to it i would be grateful.
But still i wonder how this could help depressions? Could anyone shed some light on this?
Peace
I've have read this a dozen times, but the first source that springs to mind is the scientific american MIND volume 18 no 6 december 2007.
The picture on the opening page of the article is your avatar, btw:d [/quote]
That article you are talking about is Psychedelic Healing right?
Unfortunately I don't have acess to it. If anyone can post a link to it i would be grateful.
But still i wonder how this could help depressions? Could anyone shed some light on this?
Peace
Ident
Mr Ident
benzyme said:
I don't know enough about to it to hold anything other than suspicions about it's function and I always err towards the more scientific explanations rather than believing speculation as fact. I don't believe that the pineal generates DMT but I do think that there may be some correlation between that, serotonin and the minds ability to visualise. Exactly what the connection is, I don't know but I'd love to hear your thoughts since you're definitely one of the most scientifically minded members on here!
Speculation is interesting and fun but I trust scientific method more than subjective experience.
Elpo said:
well depends what substance we are talking about.. For example if we talk about ayahuasca, it contains both dmt and a MAOI, as you probably are well aware. I dont know if you know but there are different kind of anti depressants, most common nowadays being SSRIs, and some other antidepressant are, interestingly enough, MAOIs. So MAOI themselves can increase serotonin levels in the brain, but the interesting aspect about ayahuasca is, as I quoted, the increase platelet uptake sites. So not only ayahuasca users can get more serotonin (temporarily), but also become more sensitive to it.. I am not aware of this happening with other psychedelics (or with antidepressants, for that matter), it might have to do more with the caapi alkaloids than the dmt.
This is one level.. Another level where psychedelics can help with depression is not necessarily related to neurotransmitors but to the experience itself: Gaining of perspective through alternative perception of the world. I mean, we all know that depressive people find it very hard to step out of their negative/bland world-view, and an experience that shakes you and shows you 'something else' can be of great help (note the "CAN", because it can also worsen the symptoms.. It has to be carefuly dealt with and incorporated, I dont think its a general solution for anybody with depression)
Ident said:
I dont know if the pineal gland has anything to do with this. Maybe its more about receptor binding in the visual cortex
DMT binding occurs in the raphe nuclei, the V1 is further back in the occipital lobe.
the issue of actual DMT production is a metabolic issue... methylation via s-adenosyl-methionine, and the expression of INMT. this enzyme isn't known to be expressed in the pineal
the issue of actual DMT production is a metabolic issue... methylation via s-adenosyl-methionine, and the expression of INMT. this enzyme isn't known to be expressed in the pineal
elphologist1
Rising Star
Elpo said:
Mostly it is a psychological effect. You can compare it to psychotherapy. Because psychedelic drugs put your mind into a receptive state and help access the subconscious, you are sometimes able to gain insight into your problems in ways you normally could not. Assuming of course you go into it with that intent, and either you or your sitter has the appropriate psychological knowledge and skills.
Keep in mind, though, that this is nothing to be taken lightly. Psychedelics amplify both positive and negative thoughts, and recall of repressed events (particularly when depressed) can be a "hellish" experience. Even with just plain psychotherapy (no drugs), people tend to get worse before they get better as repressed thoughts are addressed. In that respect, psychedelics do not "cure" depression chemically like antidepressants do. If depression is severe, probably best to treat it first (with antidepressants) and then, when stable and off the antidepressants, use psychedelics to gain insight into the underlying problems causing the depression. I'm not a doctor though; this is just my personal opinion based on my knowledge of psychedelic drugs.
elphologist