Psychotropic Drug-Induced Transformations of Visual Space

Ergotropic arousal-inducing drugs—psilocybin, a Ditran-type glycolate, and D-amphetamine—significantly lower spatial distortion thresholds, meaning they interfere with the brain's ability to counter-adapt to optical distortion and maintain an undistorted view of the world. In contrast, the trophotropic arousal-inducing drug chlorpromazine promotes such counter-adaptation, enhancing the optimization of visual information. This interference with optimization occurs independently of the rate at which the distorting stimulus is presented. The optimization itself is considered a cortical perceptual-behavioral interpretive process, while the interference or promotion of it reflects subcortical influences.

Study at a glance

Abstract

It was found that ergotropic arousal-inducing drugs, such as psilocybin, a Ditran®-type 'glycolate' and D-amphetamine, significantly lower human spatial distortion thresholds, i.e. these drugs interfere with counter-adaptation to optical distortion, or the intention to see the world undistorted. The trophotropic arousal-inducing chlorpromazine®on the other hand promotes such counter-adaptation, i.e. the optimization of visual information. The interference with optimization is independent of the rate at which the distorting stimulus is presented. Optimization is regarded here as a cortical (perceptual-behavioral) interpretive process while interference with and promotion of the optimization are subcortical influences.