In news that will hit like a meaty bass riff to the ears of doof kings / queens the country over, a study has suggested LSD can actually be real good for that brain of yours.
A team of researchers at the Imperial College London explained that in its normal (drug-free) state, the brain works in compartmentalised networks, like vision, movement and hearing. But during a trip, the walls between these systems break down, leading to a blended and positively groovy experience.
The study involved 20 volunteers of sound mental and physical health.
During controlled experiments, each volunteer was injected with either 75 micrograms of LSD, or a placebo. Their noggins were then scanned to study activity in the brain, including blood flow and electrical currents.
The findings?
“In many ways, the brain in the LSD state resembles the state our brains were in when we were infants — free and unconstrained,” said Dr Robin Chart-Harris, lead researcher.
“This also makes sense when we consider the hyper-emotional and imaginative nature of an infant’s mind.”
So basically, LSD just reverts you into a big, happy baby.
“This could have great implications for psychiatry,” said Dr Cahart-Harris. He noted that after the trip subsided, participants in the study experienced “improvements in well-being” – indicating the findings could lead to psychedelic drugs being used to treat psychiatric disorders in the near future.
But before you get excited and text John Doe for a tab because science, remember this study was completed in a controlled environment – and for some people, LSD might have less than ideal effects – like triggering psychosis.
Source: ABC.
Photo: The Simpsons.
