Hallucinogens

What are hallucinogens?

Hallucinogens are a class of drugs that cause hallucinations—profound distortions in a person’s perceptions of reality. They can be found in some plants and mushrooms (or their extracts) or can be man-made.

Classic hallucinogens are thought to produce their perception-altering effects by acting on neural circuits in the brain that use the neurotransmitter serotonin. Specifically, some of their most prominent effects occur in the prefrontal cortex—an area involved in mood, cognition, and perception—as well as other regions important in regulating arousal and physiological responses to stress and panic. Hallucinogens can cause emotions to swing wildly. Real-world sensations may appear unreal, and sometimes frightening.