- Exactly how psychedelics accomplish this, neurochemically, is still uncertain, but some of
Carhart-Harris’s research points to a plausible mechanism. Because of their affinity with the
serotonin 2A receptors, psychedelic compounds cause a set of neurons in the cortex (“layer five
pyramidal neurons,” to be exact) that are rich in these receptors to fire in such a way as to
desynchronize the usual oscillations of the brain. Carhart-Harris likens these oscillations, which
help to organize brain activity, to the synchronized clapping of an audience. When a few wayward
individuals clap out of order, the applause becomes less rhythmic and more chaotic. Similarly, the
excitation of these cortical neurons appears to disrupt oscillations in a particular frequency—the
alpha waves—that have been correlated with activity in the default mode network and, specifically,
in self-reflection.
frankie
(Frankie)
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