Blurs

LSD is one of the most powerful psychoactive compounds ever studied. It can radically alter perception, time, emotion and the sense of self — yet its effects begin with interactions between a remarkably small molecule and specific receptors in the brain.  Modern neuroscience is beginning to reveal why. LSD has accumulated an extraordinary cultural reputation. It has been associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, psychedelic art, spiritual experiences and some of the stranger chapters in modern drug history. But beneath all of that is a fascinating scientific question: How can such a small quantity of a chemical produce such a profound alteration in human consciousness? The answer appears to involve one particular receptor — 5-HT2A — and a cascade of changes in how groups of neurons communicate. Yet the deeper scientists look, the less LSD resembles a simple "hallucinogen". It provides a window into perception, brain networks, consciousness and potentially, although the...