The Serotonergic System and Mysticism: Could LSD and the Nondrug-Induced Mystical Experience Share Common Neural Mechanisms?
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs September 1, 2002 Neil F. Goodman 30 citations
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) primarily acts on the brain's serotonergic diffuse neuromodulatory system, which normally filters sensory information to allow only what is necessary for survival. LSD opens this filter, increasing the amount of somatosensory data processed and heightening the sense of importance attributed to that information. Based on established scientific research and documented personal accounts, the article describes similarities between the effects of LSD and religious mystical experiences. The author proposes that both phenomena may share common modes of action in the brain, potentially opening avenues for research into mysticism and consciousness.