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░ Definition
Mushrooms are a kind of fungus and come in many varieties. Some of them are completely harmless, but this is not the case of others: some contain toxic compounds, producing false perceptions of sight, sound, taste, smell or touch.
The hallucinogenic properties of certain mushrooms have been known for centuries. In Ancient Central and South America, Aztec spiritual leaders used these hallucinogens to induce an altered state of consciousness that they believed would allow them to communicate with their gods and other spirits.
░ Effects of hallucinogenic mushrooms
The behaviour:
Type 1: psilocybin/psilocin mushrooms
Mushrooms that contain the hallucinogens psilocybin and/or psilocin belong mainly to the genera: Psilocybe, Stropharia, Conocybe, and Panaeolus.
This type of mushrooms produces yawning, inability to concentrate, restlessness, increased heart rate, and hallucinations (visual and auditory). These symptoms may appear 30 to 60 minutes after the mushroom is eaten and can last about four hours.
Type 2: amanita muscaria
The Amanita muscaria does not contain psilocybin or psilocin. Rather, the hallucinogenic chemicals this mushroom contain are muscimol and ibotenic acid.
Symptoms appear 30 to 90 minutes after eating this mushroom and are most intense after two or three hours: feelings of euphoria, hallucinations, muscle jerks, drowsiness, sweating, pupil dilation, and increased body temperature. Some people describe the effects as similar to being drunk.
░ The brain
Type 1: psilocybin/psilocin mushrooms
The chemical structure of psilocybin and psilocin is similar to neurotransmitter called serotonin. In fact, the primary effect is on the serotonin receptors. There is also evidence that psilocybin reduces the reuptake of serotonin by neurons in the brain allowing this neurotransmitter more time to act in the synapse.
Type 2: amanita muscaria
Muscimol and ibotenic acid from the Amanita muscaria appear to act on the GABA neurotransmitter system. Muscimol activates GABA receptors on neurons. Therefore, muscimol acts to inhibit the activity of neurons in the brain.
░ Important: Poisonous mushrooms
Picking and consuming mushrooms can be a dangerous activity: identification of hallucinogenic mushrooms among the great variety of existing types can be really difficult, mainly because they look similar to toxic, deadly mushrooms. On the other hand, it is also possible that mushrooms bought from "street dealers" may be contaminated with drugs such as LSD or PCP.
For example, in 1998, only in the USA 9,839 cases of mushroom poisoning were reported by poison centers. Approximately 69% of these cases were children under the age of 6 years.
More information (University of Washington) >>
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