Thoughts on our educated chemicals

[stockers26]

Hi guys
Deep question but I have been thinking about it for a while.
I have seen brain maps of what psycidelics do to the processes of the brain... Firing from all canons at all times whilst the chemical is be processed.
It is this, does anyone else wonder what the results would be for somebody with Alzheimer's or dimensia to do something like aya or whatever... Something that is a soul delving/searching substance?
What are your thoughts guys?

 

[Zsuzsi]

Firing from all canons at all times whilst the chemical is be processed.

Interestingly, there are multiple studies that suggest that psychedelics decrease the activity of the brain, instead of increasing it. Here is a good article on it pointing towards several studies, and also offering a critic on what the author calls "Misreporting and Confirmation Bias" on that specific topic and psychedelic research in general.

This is particularly interesting if you consider the view that our consciousness may not originate in the brain but be received, and even limited, by it - an idea on which many people (Huxley, Jung, McKenna, Strassman...) have written about.

As for the second part of your question, I'm not aware of research with Alzheimer's and psychedelics. Given that if I'm not mistaken short term memory is the first to be affected, I'm not sure how feasible that would be (because the subject may possibly not even retain the memory of the trip, and lose most of the benefits of it ?).

Although it comes to mind that it could perhaps help with Alzheimer's patient, if not to regain memory, at least in dealing emotionally with what must be the incredibly difficult hardship of losing your memories and mind progressively - the same way psychedelics can help people close to death in dealing with the anxiety of it.

 

[stockers26]

Hi Zsuzi

Thank you for your very thorough response, I read the article you kindly placed a link to.
You raise some very valid points, and come to think of it, giving an already confused person something that is confusing may not be the best idea.
Here is a link to something i did see that was one of the reasons why i asked the question in the first place Mind-blowing new images show how LSD changes the way parts of the brain communicate (im still getting the hang of this forum and how to post things to it properly, so you may have to copy and paste the link).
How about a slightly more improved angle...microdosing...used by many people (if what I have read is true) by alot of people in detail orientated positions like programmers and scientists to "improve focusing and functionality"...I wonder if the medical faculties have explored this angle?