THE EFFECT OF MESCALINE ON DIFFERENTIATED CONDITIONAL REFLEXES
American Journal of Psychiatry October 1, 1956 Wagner H. Bridger, W. Horsley Gantt 14 citations
Mescaline induces an inhibitory state that dissociates the brain's signaling systems, causing the second (language and thought) to behave like the first (sensory impressions). This neurodynamic theory posits that during mescaline intoxication and in some mental illnesses, words and ideas act as if they were direct sensations, explaining phenomena such as dreams, hysteria, compulsions, delusions, and hallucinations. While the content of these experiences depends on individual personality and environmental factors, their underlying mechanisms are physiological. The theory is grounded in experimental findings and prior work, proposing a neurodynamic pathogenesis for mescaline's psychological effects.