The Brain's Response to
Hallucinogens

Hi, my name's Sara Bellum. Welcome to my magazine series exploring the brain's response to hallucinogens. In this issue, we'll investigate the fascinating facts about hallucinogens. Some of this information was only recently discovered by leading scientists. Hallucinogens cause people to experience - you guessed it - hallucinations, imagined experiences that seem real. The word "hallucinate" comes from Latin words meaning, "to wander in the mind." No wonder some people refer to hallucinating as tripping. The "trips" caused by hallucinogens can last for hours. Parts of these trips can feel really good, and other parts can feel really terrible. Hallucinogens powerfully affect the brain, distorting the way our five senses work and changing our impressions of time and space. People who use these drugs a lot may have a hard time concentrating, communicating, or telling the difference between reality and illusion.

Where Do Hallucinogens Come From? Some hallucinogens can be found in plants. Mescaline comes from a cactus called peyote. And certain mushrooms, also known as magic mushrooms, are hallucinogens. But many hallucinogens are chemicals that don't occur in nature. Some examples are: LSD, also called acid; MDA, an amphetamine, a type of drug I explore in my magazine about stimulants in more detail; MDMA, an amphetamine, called ecstasy; PCP (phencyclidine), often called angel dust.

Previous Page	Index	Next Page