Altered States
Anesthesiology September 21, 2013 Eduardo E. Icaza, George A. Mashour 11 citations
The neural mechanisms underlying the psychedelic experience remain poorly understood. A recent neuroimaging study found that psilocybin decreases cerebral blood flow and causes functional disconnections in the brain, a pattern surprisingly similar to that produced by general anesthetics. This article reviews historical instances of psychedelic experiences triggered by anesthetics and compares how these two drug classes produce altered states of consciousness.