Salvinorin-A Induces Intense Dissociative Effects, Blocking External Sensory Perception and Modulating Interoception and Sense of Body Ownership in Humans
Marta Valle, Montserrat Puntes, Jimena Coimbra, Maite Garrido, Judit Claramunt, Jordi Riba, Ana Maqueda, Peter H. Addy, Rosa María Antonijoan, María Rosa Ballester, M. J. González, Steven A. Barker, Matthew W. Johnson, Roland R. Griffiths
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology June 5, 2015 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyv065
Summary
A potent hallucinogen, Salvinorin-A, profoundly alters human perception. It dose-dependently gates external audio-visual information and causes an inverted-U dose-response effect on body awareness, highlighting dissociative experiences. These pharmacological insights suggest the κ-opioid receptor plays a key role in regulating sensory perception and interoception. This neuroscience finding has significant implications for Psychology, Psychedelics and Drug Studies, and understanding Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior, potentially informing Medicine, including Pain Mechanisms and Treatments.
Abstract
Salvinorin-A induced intense psychotropic effects characterized by a dose-dependent gating of external audio-visual information and an inverted-U dose-response effect on body awareness. These results suggest a prominent role for the kappa opioid receptor in the regulation of sensory perception, interoception, and the sense of body ownership in humans.