Glossary
Central Nervous System: The brain and spinal cord.
Cerebral cortex: The region of the brain responsible
for cognitive functions including reasoning, mood,
and perception of stimuli.
Dissociative: a type of compound, such as
phencyclidine or ketamine, that produces an
anesthetic effect characterized by a feeling of being
detached from the physical self.
DXM: A common street name for dextromethorphan.
Flashback: A sudden but temporary recurrence
of aspects of a drug experience (including sights,
sounds, and feelings) that may occur days, weeks, or
even more than a year after hallucinogenic drug use.
Glutamate: An excitatory neurotransmitter found
throughout the brain that influences the reward
system and is involved in learning and memory,
among other functions.
Hallucinogen: A drug that produces hallucinations—
distortions in perception of sights and sounds—and
disturbances in emotion, judgment, and memory.
HPPD: Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder;
the spontaneous and sometimes continuous
recurrence of perceptual effects of LSD long after an
individual has ingested the drug.
Kappa opioid receptor: A receptor on nerve cells
that is activated by certain opioid-like compounds
produced in the body. These receptors differ from
those activated by the more commonly known
opioids, such as heroin and morphine.
Neurotransmitter: A chemical compound that acts as
a messenger to carry signals from one nerve cell to
another.
NMDA receptors: N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors,
a type of glutamate receptor that is important for
learning and memory; it is the target of drugs such
as PCP and ketamine.
Persistent psychosis: Unpredictable and long-lasting
visual disturbances, dramatic mood swings, and
hallucinations experienced by some LSD users after
they have discontinued use of the drug.
Serotonin: A neurotransmitter involved in a broad
range of effects on perception, movement, and
emotions. Serotonin and its receptors are the targets
of most hallucinogens.
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References
NIDA Research Report Series
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