An experiment carried out at Unicamp with LSD resulted in a sixth scientific article, this time on the impact of lysergic acid on language. Roughly speaking, it was found that the psychedelic substance causes a disorganization of speech that can both favor and harm its use as an adjuvant to psychotherapy.
This will depend on the dose and time elapsed after LSD ingestion, for example. Before the mind-altering compound was banned in the 1960s/70s, it was widely used in so-called psychedelic (high doses above 100 micrograms) and psycholytic (in the range of 30-50 mcg) therapies, among other conditions to treat drug abuse. alcohol.
In the current psychedelic renaissance for medicine, however, LSD has not taken center stage. Much of the ongoing clinical trials favor psilocybin from “magic” mushrooms for treating depression and MDMA (ecstasy) for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
In the Unicamp placebo-controlled trial, which involved two dozen healthy volunteers, the dose was 50 mcg, as detailed here. The study was conducted by Isabel Wießner, a German psychologist who received her doctorate in Campinas, and Marcelo Falchi, a psychiatrist and a master’s student at the same university, both under the guidance of Luís Fernando Tófoli.
Various types of tests were performed during the acute phase of LSD, over the course of up to 10 hours. The blog has already addressed some results, such as the most favorable window for psychotherapy and effects on cognition. The article now published in the journal European Neuropsychopharmacology focuses on linguistic analysis.
For this, the volunteers had to perform various verbal activities, such as describing their experience or inventing stories based on image stimuli. The statements were then quantitatively analyzed using computerized techniques such as graphs, semantic distance, verbosity and vocabulary.
Graphs are diagrams that capture the articulation of speech based, very simply, on the sequence and repetition of words, a procedure perfected by psychiatrist and neuroscientist Natália Mota, now at UFRJ. The resulting image makes it possible to take measurements with which it is possible to differentiate psychotics from normal people, for example, by analyzing only their statements.
In the Unicamp study, it was verified with the graphs that the linguistic structure of the psychonauts’ speeches was less organized and internally connected. Greater semantic similarity was also found between the words used and the reduced lexicon.
For Wießner, this may be indicative of losses in language production, possibly related to reductions in cognition, such as attention, memory, executive functions, etc., consistently observed under the acute effect of psychedelics. “This indicates that the person would not be able to follow complex dialogues based on logical reasoning and speaks against psychotherapeutic techniques that are based a lot on dialogue”, says the neuroscientist.
On the other hand, the analysis revealed an increased spontaneous use of language related to the present tense, while that of the past tense was reduced. One more point to indicate the lesser apparent usefulness of psychedelic discourse for psychotherapy techniques based on discursive elaboration about experiences and experiences, such as psychoanalysis.
In practical terms, Falchi imagines that a therapy supported by low-dose LSD, such as 50 mcg, can maximize results by understanding that the effects of LSD are not constant. There are phases within the acute period of the lysergic “trip”.
“This means saying that there is not a single altered state of consciousness under LSD, but a myriad of them, sorted in time”, emphasizes the psychiatrist. “Each phase of the experience is characterized by the predominance of certain cognitive operations, representing improvements or reductions in specific psychic functions, which must be valued when planning a therapy with multiple orientations.”
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NOTICE TO NAVIGATORS – Psychedelics are still experimental therapies and certainly do not constitute a panacea for all psychic disorders, nor should they be the object of self-medication. Speak with your therapist or doctor before venturing into the area.
To learn more about the history and new developments of science in this area, including in Brazil, look for my book “Psiconautas – Viagens com a Ciência Psychedelica Brasileira”.
On the tendency to legalize the therapeutic and adult use of psychedelics in the US, see the article “Cogumelos Livres” in the December 2022 issue of Piauí magazine.
Be sure to also see the articles in the series “A Ressurreição da Jurema” in Folha:
https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/ilustrissima/2022/07/reporter-conta-experiencia-de-inalar-dmt-psicodelico-em-teste-contra-depressao.shtml
https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/ilustrissima/2022/07/da-caatinga-ao-laboratorio-cientistas-investigam-efeito-antidepressão-de-psicodelico.shtml
https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/ilustrissima/2022/07/cultos-com-alucinogeno-da-jurema-florescem-no-nordeste.shtml
I have over 8 years of experience in the news industry. I have worked for various news websites and have also written for a few news agencies. I mostly cover healthcare news, but I am also interested in other topics such as politics, business, and entertainment. In my free time, I enjoy writing fiction and spending time with my family and friends.
