PSYC-1105EL Chapter Notes - Chapter 5.3: Psilocybin, Theobroma Cacao, Nucleus Accumbens
21 Jan 2017
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Document Summary
Psychedelic mushrooms or psilocybin was previously proposed by a fringe group of psychologist as a treatment for psychological problems. Such an idea would be put on hiatus until recent research which has shown that psilocybin has potential to succeed. Drugs influence the amount of activity occurring in the neural synapses. They can either amplify or mimic the effect of neurotransmitters or block/inhibit them. They can cause short term effects by altering the amount of neurotransmitter released, preventing the reabsorption of the neurotransmitter(thereby extending its effect), block the receptor the neurotransmitter binds to or bind to that receptor itself. This affects the likelihood of the postsynaptic neuron firing, changing our behaviour, thoughts and perception. Different changes affect different types of neurotransmitters. (ex: ecstasy and serotonin, painkillers and opioid receptors). The affected neurotransmitter is dopamine, which is released when experiencing pleasurable, rewarding feelings. Dopamine is released in two areas of the brain, nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area.
