The Serotonergic System and Mysticism: Could LSD and the Nondrug-Induced Mystical Experience Share Common Neural Mechanisms?

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.

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Abstract

This article aims to explore, through established scientific research and documented accounts of personal experience, the similarities between religious mystical experiences and some effects of D-lysergic diethylamide or LSD. LSD predominantly works upon the serotonergic (serotonin-using neurons) diffuse neuromodulatory system, which projects its axons to virtually all areas of the brain including the neocortex. By its normal action it modulates awareness of the environmental surroundings and filters a high proportion of this information before it can be processed, thereby only allowing the amount of information that is necessary for survival. LSD works to open this filter, and so an increased amount of somatosensory data is processed with a corresponding increase in what is deemed important. This article describes the effects and actions of LSD, and due to the similarities with the nondrug-induced mystical experience the author proposes that the two could have common modes of action upon the brain. This could lead to avenues of research into mysticism and a wealth of knowledge on consciousness and how we perceive the universe.