Psychedelics and Mental Illness: Predictive Processing and What Causes Hallucinations in the Brain

Understand psychedelics and mental illness through the theory of predictive processing, which helps explain what causes hallucinations in the brain.

================
Follow PsychoFarm:

================
The video transcript discusses the cognitive model of predictive processing and how it can be applied to understand the effects of psychedelic drugs and mystical experiences (psychedelic hallucinations and cognitive model). It explores the etymology of the terms "psychedelic" and "psychotomimetic," tracing their origins to concepts of mind-manifesting and psychosis-mimicking, respectively.

The core idea is that psychedelics interfere with the brain's established top-down priors (predictions) and bottom-up sensory inputs, leading to altered perceptions (predictive processing and neurotransmitters). Overactive top-down mechanisms can result in hallucinations, while overactive bottom-up mechanisms can cause delusions and paranoia. This is linked to the functioning of NMDA and AMPA receptors, which are thought to mediate top-down and bottom-up processes, respectively.

The video also explores how mystical experiences and hyper-pattern matching, as seen in individuals like Terence McKenna and Carl Jung, may be related to an overactive top-down mechanism that creates a sense of interconnectedness and "all is one" perception (mysticism and pattern matching on psychedelics). Psychedelics are proposed to have antidepressant properties by enabling individuals to perceive connections and uninstall outdated thought patterns or belief systems (antidepressant effects of psilocybin, uninstalling thought patterns with psychedelics).

The relationship between psychedelics and mental illness has become a focal point in understanding predictive processing and what causes hallucinations in the brain. Researchers delve into the intricate mechanisms behind psychedelic experiences to elucidate their potential therapeutic effects and their impact on mental health conditions. Predictive processing theory offers a framework to comprehend how the brain generates perceptions, including hallucinations, by integrating sensory information with prior expectations. Understanding what causes hallucinations in the brain involves exploring disruptions in predictive processing, which may contribute to the manifestation of psychotic symptoms in mental illness. As studies progress, insights gained from the interplay of psychedelics, mental illness, and predictive processing could lead to innovative treatments and interventions for various psychiatric disorders.

================

#psychosis #hallucinations

[dmtdreamz]

They looked forward to that moment with joy, but without haste, not pining for it, but seeming to have a foretaste of it in their hearts, of which they talked to one another. But when they looked at me with their sweet eyes full of love, when I felt that in their presence my heart, too, became as innocent and just as theirs, the feeling of the fullness of life took my breath away, and I worshipped them in silence. Their children were the children of all, for they all made up one family.

[kenhaze]

Some of the most interesting things I've read are "experience reports" from inhalant use/abuse. A lot of them describe the most supernatural and profound sounding experiences of a complete apprehension of the entire universe, or like such as. But those substances are relatively well documented as, to be very gentle, not having high therapeutic potential. And comments on those reports also frequently exhort the writers to stop or they'll ruin their lives. That to me creates an interesting abstraction, because 5-HT2A agonists likewise induce or encourage profound experiences, so given the dichotomy between 5-HT2A agonists and inhalants in terms of apparent safety and therapeutic potential, it's clear that profundity of experience itself isn't the sole driver of the antidepressant potential and low abuse potential of psychedelics. It's not surprising—the pharmacological profile of inhalants is basically "make all neurons work more badly and less goodly than before"—but it's interesting.

[mcquild]

Great video. You somehow seem to frequently post exactly what I've been reading about myself.
On another note your psychopharm vids have made teaching medical students a hell of a lot easier, so thanks!

[maestro]

What about Deliriant hallucination, such as those produced by Scopolamine and Diphenhydramine? How come they resemble real life to such a great extend?

[remingtonfrog]

😯👍🏻”FASCINATING”!!
crazy how intriguing…. & you Are Amazing!
Wow👌🍄🌞

[rogupolabear]

i absolutely love everything about this

[christianbarrett]

This series is fantastic. Is there still plans to continue it? I would love to hear more!

[Suitswonderland]

Fantastic video, great information, keep them coming! Peace & love.

[brazilianpunk]

Interesting video! I just wanna add something to the Louis Wain discussion. It's quite possible that he had autism and made fractal art for stimming, as theyre full of repetitive patterns. He showed interest in cubist art way before hospitalization and might not have been able to draw it because he drew to earn money, so maybe he didnt have the time for experimentation. Also, he didnt date his art and i've seen a drawing he did of a normal cat on the hospital's garden, so it could be made days or years after hospitalization and we wouldn't know. Plus, people with schizophrenia often have smaller attention spans while autistic people can spend *a lot* of time working with their special interest, and Louis' art is hyper-detailed.

[EvanNagao]

Please can you make more videos on the MoA of psychedelics when you get the chance? I'm incredibly interested after seeing your video on delayed effects of SSRIs. I'm curious to know if the reason people tend to report withdrawals from coming off SSRIs but not psychedelics is because of the difference in the MoA.

[WILD__THINGS]

So how would you explain closed eye visuals or visuals experienced in total darkness? There's nothing to look at and misinterpret.

[yellowbear]

i'm not even a medical student mate and i'm learning tons

[raffifl]

Thank you for the video. Great insights. But something doesnt add up. Arent some hallucinogens such as Ketamine and PCP, NMDA antagonists? According to the information presented I would expect them to inhibit the top down system and thus inhibit and not produce hallucinations

[Helena-tomy]

"MDD or schizoaffective disorder, thats just a technicality".

[Lepsaeus]

Is love disappointment a bottom-up or top-down preponderance?

[niklas]

I don't think I follow your analogy to delusions and hallucinations. Wouldn't a delusion ("seeing patterns in the noise") be a top-down process? You're taking some preconceived high-level idea and misapplying it to the sensory data you get.

By contrast, a "hallucination" seems to imply something completely alien and novel manifesting itself to me spontaneously via sensory channels, which is what I would have expected a bottom-up misfire to result in.

[jasonfasser]

If delusions and hallucinations are brought about by opposite changes… why do schizophrenics get both?

[dungeonmaster]

Eeehhh, there's very little evidence that Louis Wane actually had schizophrenia. At a certain period of his life he came out with these psychedelic cats, but it hasn't influenced his style permanently. He still drew a regular humanised cats later on.

[jesuswaspsychotic]

Will there be an antipsychotic medicine in the future that allows you to smoke weed again? Like is this possible?