Psychotomimetic
Encyclopedia
A drug with psychotomimetic actions mimics the symptoms of psychosis
, including delusion
s and/or delirium
, as opposed to just hallucinations. Some drugs of the opioid
class have psychotomimetic effects, such as pentazocine
and butorphanol
.
Carl Sagan
also used the word psychotomimetic in his anonymous article "Mr.X" to describe the effects of the herb marijuana. There is evidence that cannabinoids
, the active substance in marijuana, are psychotomimetic,, especially delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). D'Souza et al. (2004) found that intravenous THC produced effects that resemble schizophrenia in both the positive symptoms (illusions, paranoia and disorganized thinking) and negative symptoms ("...apathy, anhedonia, alogia, asociality, avolition). Some types of marijuana may be more psychotomimetic than others, possibly due to the action of cannabidiol (CBD), which inhibits P450 3A11's metabolic conversion of THC to 11-hydroxy-THC, which is four times more psychoactive.p. 39
Psychotomimetic drugs (also referred to as psychomimetic drugs) affect thought, perception, and mood, without causing marked psychomotor
stimulation
or depression
. Thoughts and understanding of the surroundings and self tend to become dreamlike and confabulating rather than being sharpened or lucid, and the changes are more disturbing than a mere shift toward depression or euphoria
. The main difference between psychotomimetics and other drugs is considered to be that the peripheral action of psychotomimetics cause sweating
, tachycardia
, hyperthermia
, sleepiness, and euphoria/dysphoria to occur indirectly and can vary immensely among users, rather than directly by the action of the drug, as is the case with dopaminergic
and serotonergic
drugs like heroin and MDMA, respectively. Drugs that purely cause psychotic symptoms, or have the severe potential to cause psychotic symptoms in post sobriety, include deliriants
such as scopolamine, atropine, hyoscyamine, diphenhydramine, dimenhydrinate, etc., as well as prolonged stimulant use, prolonged use of marijuana, certain opiates, and dissociative drugs like dextromethorphan and phencyclidine.
Contrary to popular thought, psychedelic drugs such as LSD
and magic mushrooms are not considered to be psychotomimetic. Their action is not believed (anymore) to resemble any psychotic state of mind as with other drugs. However, they do have similar effects, but psychosis has no resemblance to the lucidity and clarity that exists within the experiences of psychedelic hallucinogens, which are not hallucinogenic in the sense that they create a sensory experience from nothing, but rather hallucinogenic in the sense that they cause pseudohallucinations (i.e., distortions in the way the user perceives the world rather than false constructions in the world around the user).
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
, including delusion
Delusion
A delusion is a false belief held with absolute conviction despite superior evidence. Unlike hallucinations, delusions are always pathological...
s and/or delirium
Delirium
Delirium or acute confusional state is a common and severe neuropsychiatric syndrome with core features of acute onset and fluctuating course, attentional deficits and generalized severe disorganization of behavior...
, as opposed to just hallucinations. Some drugs of the opioid
Opioid
An opioid is a psychoactive chemical that works by binding to opioid receptors, which are found principally in the central and peripheral nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract...
class have psychotomimetic effects, such as pentazocine
Pentazocine
Pentazocine is a synthetically prepared prototypical mixed agonist-antagonist narcotic drug of the benzomorphan class of opioids used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain...
and butorphanol
Butorphanol
Butorphanol is a morphinan-type synthetic opioid analgesic developed by Bristol-Myers. Brand name Stadol was recently discontinued by the manufacturer. It is now only available in its generic formulations, manufactured by Novex, Mylan, Apotex and Ben Venue Laboratories. Butorphanol is most...
.
Carl Sagan
Carl Sagan
Carl Edward Sagan was an American astronomer, astrophysicist, cosmologist, author, science popularizer and science communicator in astronomy and natural sciences. He published more than 600 scientific papers and articles and was author, co-author or editor of more than 20 books...
also used the word psychotomimetic in his anonymous article "Mr.X" to describe the effects of the herb marijuana. There is evidence that cannabinoids
Cannabinoids
Cannabinoids are a class of chemical compounds that include the phytocannabinoids , and chemical compounds that mimic the actions of phytocannabinoids or have a similar structure...
, the active substance in marijuana, are psychotomimetic,, especially delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). D'Souza et al. (2004) found that intravenous THC produced effects that resemble schizophrenia in both the positive symptoms (illusions, paranoia and disorganized thinking) and negative symptoms ("...apathy, anhedonia, alogia, asociality, avolition). Some types of marijuana may be more psychotomimetic than others, possibly due to the action of cannabidiol (CBD), which inhibits P450 3A11's metabolic conversion of THC to 11-hydroxy-THC, which is four times more psychoactive.p. 39
Psychotomimetic drugs (also referred to as psychomimetic drugs) affect thought, perception, and mood, without causing marked psychomotor
Psychomotor
Psychomotor can refer to:* Psychomotor learning* Psychomotor retardation* Psychomotor agitation...
stimulation
Stimulation
Stimulation is the action of various agents on nerves, muscles, or a sensory end organ, by which activity is evoked; especially, the nervous impulse produced by various agents on nerves, or a sensory end organ, by which the part connected with the nerve is thrown into a state of activity.The word...
or depression
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
. Thoughts and understanding of the surroundings and self tend to become dreamlike and confabulating rather than being sharpened or lucid, and the changes are more disturbing than a mere shift toward depression or euphoria
Euphoria
Euphoria is an emotional and mental state defined as a sense of great elation and well being.Euphoria may also refer to:* Euphoria , a genus of scarab beetles* Euphoria, a genus name previously used for the longan and other trees...
. The main difference between psychotomimetics and other drugs is considered to be that the peripheral action of psychotomimetics cause sweating
Sweating
Perspiration is the production of a fluid consisting primarily of water as well as various dissolved solids , that is excreted by the sweat glands in the skin of mammals...
, tachycardia
Tachycardia
Tachycardia comes from the Greek words tachys and kardia . Tachycardia typically refers to a heart rate that exceeds the normal range for a resting heart rate...
, hyperthermia
Hyperthermia
Hyperthermia is an elevated body temperature due to failed thermoregulation. Hyperthermia occurs when the body produces or absorbs more heat than it can dissipate...
, sleepiness, and euphoria/dysphoria to occur indirectly and can vary immensely among users, rather than directly by the action of the drug, as is the case with dopaminergic
Dopaminergic
Dopaminergic means related to the neurotransmitter dopamine. For example, certain proteins such as the dopamine transporter , vesicular monoamine transporter 2 , and dopamine receptors can be classified as dopaminergic, and neurons which synthesize or contain dopamine and synapses with dopamine...
and serotonergic
Serotonergic
Serotonergic or serotoninergic means "related to the neurotransmitter serotonin". A synapse is serotonergic if it uses serotonin as its neurotransmitter...
drugs like heroin and MDMA, respectively. Drugs that purely cause psychotic symptoms, or have the severe potential to cause psychotic symptoms in post sobriety, include deliriants
Deliriant
The deliriants are a special class of acetylcholine-inhibitor hallucinogen. The term was introduced by David F. Duncan and Robert S...
such as scopolamine, atropine, hyoscyamine, diphenhydramine, dimenhydrinate, etc., as well as prolonged stimulant use, prolonged use of marijuana, certain opiates, and dissociative drugs like dextromethorphan and phencyclidine.
Contrary to popular thought, psychedelic drugs such as LSD
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
and magic mushrooms are not considered to be psychotomimetic. Their action is not believed (anymore) to resemble any psychotic state of mind as with other drugs. However, they do have similar effects, but psychosis has no resemblance to the lucidity and clarity that exists within the experiences of psychedelic hallucinogens, which are not hallucinogenic in the sense that they create a sensory experience from nothing, but rather hallucinogenic in the sense that they cause pseudohallucinations (i.e., distortions in the way the user perceives the world rather than false constructions in the world around the user).
See also
- Hallucinogen
- OpioidOpioidAn opioid is a psychoactive chemical that works by binding to opioid receptors, which are found principally in the central and peripheral nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract...
- AmphetamineAmphetamineAmphetamine or amfetamine is a psychostimulant drug of the phenethylamine class which produces increased wakefulness and focus in association with decreased fatigue and appetite.Brand names of medications that contain, or metabolize into, amphetamine include Adderall, Dexedrine, Dextrostat,...
- Stimulant psychosis
- PsychotherapyPsychotherapyPsychotherapy is a general term referring to any form of therapeutic interaction or treatment contracted between a trained professional and a client or patient; family, couple or group...
- KetamineKetamineKetamine is a drug used in human and veterinary medicine. Its hydrochloride salt is sold as Ketanest, Ketaset, and Ketalar. Pharmacologically, ketamine is classified as an NMDA receptor antagonist...
- DXMDextromethorphanDextromethorphan is an antitussive drug. It is one of the active ingredients in many over-the-counter cold and cough medicines, such as Robitussin, NyQuil, Dimetapp, Vicks, Coricidin, Delsym, and others, including generic labels. Dextromethorphan has also found other uses in medicine, ranging...
- PCPPhencyclidinePhencyclidine , commonly initialized as PCP and known colloquially as angel dust, is a recreational dissociative drug...
- NeurotransmitterNeurotransmitterNeurotransmitters are endogenous chemicals that transmit signals from a neuron to a target cell across a synapse. Neurotransmitters are packaged into synaptic vesicles clustered beneath the membrane on the presynaptic side of a synapse, and are released into the synaptic cleft, where they bind to...