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第六期主题：迷幻药LSD
麦角酸二乙基酰胺
迷幻药
药物治疗
……
欢迎进入酷炫脑英语学习课堂之
《LSD和致幻药下的大脑》
文字讲义：
LSD, also known as acid
麦角酸二乙基酰胺也是一种酸，
is a psychedelic drug famous for altering your perception and creating hallucinations.
它是一种迷幻药，因可以改变人们的知觉和产生幻觉而闻名。
But how does it actually works
但是它是如何工作的，
and what is the effect on your body and more importantly, your brain
它对你的身体更重要的是对你的大脑有什么影响呢？
Lysergic acid diethylamide was first synthesised in 1938 from the fungus that grew on rye.
麦角酸二乙胺最早是在1938年从黑麦上生长的真菌中合成出来的。
In 1943, the inventor Albert Hofmann accidentally touched some to his mouth,
1943年，发明家阿尔伯特·霍夫曼无意中嘴巴碰了几口，
got high and became the first person in the world to learn about psychedelic properties of LSD.
就变得情绪高涨，他成为世界上第一个了解迷幻药特性的人。
Research on the drug took place in the 50s and 60s,
对这种药物的研究发生在50年代和60年代，
but as recreational use began to spread,
但是随着娱乐业的流行，
psychedelic drugs were made an illegal Schedule I drug in the US
迷幻药在美国被定为非法的药物，
and research programs were haulted.
研究项目也被停止了。
While other drugs are dosed in grams,
当其他药物以克为剂量来开药的时候，
a single dose of LSD is measured in one 100,000th of a gram,
一剂LSD迷幻药的剂量是10万分之1克，
which is one 10th the mass of a grain of sand.
它的重量是一粒沙子的十分之一。
LSD affects multiple brain receptors
LSD会影响多种大脑受体，
such as the dopamine receptors, adrenergic receptors, and glutamate receptors.
如多巴胺受体，肾上腺素能受体和谷氨酸受体。
But most research is on the stimulatory serotonin receptor 5H2TA
但是大多数研究都是关于5-羟色胺受体5H2TA。
LSD hits the receptor at an unexpected angle
迷幻药以一种意想不到的角度击中了受体，
causing it to fold over the LSD creating a lid.
使其在LSD的作用下产生了一个盖子。
The LSD is then trapped
然后LSD被困住，
which makes this receptor continually fire, causing you to hallucinate.
这做得相应的神经元受体持续燃烧，使你产生幻觉。
Your body responds by sucking the 5TH2A receptor into the cell in order to degrade the LSD,
你的身体会通过吸收5TH2A受体进入细胞，来最终降低LSD的作用，
but this can take up to 12+ hours to happen which is why the high can last so long.
但整个过程可能需要长达12个小时，这就是为什么LSD带来的兴奋能持续这么长的时间。
Recently, LSD research has seen a revival
最近 LSD研究领域出现了复兴的趋势，
and using contemporary neural imaging techniques,
通过使用了现代神经成像技术，
researchers found that the drug causes parts of your brain to communicate in unique ways,
研究人员发现，这种药物会使你大脑的某些部分以独特的方式进行交流，
especially in the visual cortex,
尤其是在视觉皮层，
potentially explaining the vivid and complex hallucinations
这就解释了LSD导致生动而复杂的幻觉的原因。
There’s also decreased blood flow in the default mode network,
在大脑默认网络中，血液流动也减少了，
correlating to strong changes in consciousness, characterized as ego-dissolution,
这与意识的强烈变化有关，其特征是自我消融，
described as a feeling where the boundary that separates you from the rest of the world dissolves.
这种感觉就像是你和世界其他部分彼此分隔的界限开始瓦解消失。
Many people report this feeling brings a sense of reconnection with themselves, others, and the natural world.
许多人说这种感觉会带给自己一种和他人、和自然世界重新联系的感觉。
In fact, a study on 20 healthy volunteers receiving 75 micrograms of LSD
事实上，一项关于20名健康志愿者接受75毫克LSD迷幻药的研究发现，
saw that 2 weeks after being dosed,
在服用了两周后，
they scored higher for the traits of optimism and openness, with increased creativity and imagination.
他们在乐观和开放的特质上得分更高，创造力和想象力都增加了。
This has lead researchers to consider LSD as a therapy for patients with death anxiety and life-threatening illnesses.
这让研究人员认为LSD可以用于治疗因为绝症而感到死亡焦虑的病人。
Researchers found that 12 months after treatment,
研究人员发现，在治疗后12个月，
patients reported a reduction in anxiety and rise in quality of life,
患者报告的焦虑变少了，而且生活质量也提高了，
as the drug helped them restructure their habits and worldview.
因为药物帮助他们重组了他们的习惯和世界观。
It is also why the trend of microdosing is emerging,
这也是为什么微剂量服用LSD逐渐变得流行的原因了，
where a person takes one 10th of a recreational dose of LSD,
如果一个人服用了十分之一剂量的迷幻药
attempting to skip the hallucinations and instead experience heightened alertness, energy, and creativity.
他们将不会产生幻觉 取而代之的是变得更机敏，富有精力和创造力。
Although LSD is non-addictive
尽管LSD并不会让人上瘾，
and researchers rate it as significantly less dangerous than other drugs like cocaine and heroine,
研究人员也认为它比可卡因和海洛因等其他药物的危害要小得多，
there’s still an extreme lack of scientific studies to the explain the widespread microdosing trend,
但目前还是缺乏科学研究来全面了解LSD大范围的微剂量使用，
and even experienced hallucinogen users
而即使是有经验的迷幻剂使用者，
sometimes experience bad trips, producing irrational fears, paranoia, and panic attacks.
有时也会经历糟糕的“旅行”，从而产生非理性的恐惧 偏执和恐慌。
LSD can also cause flashback, where months after the drug has worn off,
迷幻药也会导致在服药停止的几个月后再次出现“药效”，
it can feel as though you’re experiencing the effects of the high all over again.
它会让你感觉好像自己又一次经历了高潮的影响。
In some extreme occasions,
在一些极端的情况下，
people have developed Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder, which is like a never-ending trip.
人们会产生因致幻剂引起的持久性知觉障碍 这就像一个永无止境的旅行。
Thinking that LSD can lead to psychosis and the risk of suicide are overstated.
认为LSD会导致精神错乱和自杀的风险其实是被夸大了。
The 14% of participants in the US national survey who had done psychedelics in the life
在美国国家调查中14%的参与者在生活中服用过致幻剂，
had no increased risk of developing psychosis, depression, or suicide attempts,
他们并没有增加患精神病、抑郁症或自杀企图的风险，
but the new research around LSD’s potential positive effects is also very young.
但是关于LSD潜在的积极影响的新研究也刚刚起步。
So this might not be a trip you want to take.
所以这可能不是你想要的旅行。
本文系网易新闻·网易号“各有态度”特色内容
翻译 蹦迪土拨鼠
编辑 Mandy
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