Serotonin Receptor Dampens Visual Input to Enhance Internal Processes

[brake]

Serotonin Receptor Dampens Visual Input to Enhance Internal Processes

Oh my gosh, once again!

"Psychedelic drugs that selectively target the 5-HT2A receptor, for example, could be used for therapeutic purposes under medical supervision and in defined learning contexts in order to compensate for abnormal imbalances in receptor activation in the long term."

I'm sorry, psychedelics made us imbalanced! How do these scientists explain that? I physically feel the imbalance in my brain ever since that trip.

Edited September 22 by brake

[yarkadin]

"Through overactivation, the 5-HT2A receptor suppresses external sensory-driven activity, and the brain creates perception independent of external stimuli.”

It's funny.  This is exactly the opposite of HPPD where we are flooded with extraneous sensory-driven activity precisely dependent on and catalyzed by external stimuli.

The problem with a lot of these brain studies is that it is the brain studying the brain.  I always found this a peculiar limitation... Wittgenstein wrote about it in his Tractatus and other works.  "If a blind man were to ask me 'have you got two hands?'  I should not make sure by looking. If I were to have any doubt of it, then I don't know why I should trust my eyes. For why shouldn't I test my eyes by looking to find out whether I see my two hands? What is to be tested by what? (Who decides what stands fast?)"  The implication is that we will never be fully certain of the outside world.  On a limited practical set of problems and with tools that extend our senses we can make generalized assumptions but we still can only make those assumptions and take actions via the use of those same senses.

Anyway, it's remarkable that there is any progress at all in this science... a lot of articles and even scientific studies like to paint things in a linear, causal, A>B>C framework, but my best guess is that nothing at all is clear cut and reducible to one serotonin receptor... there is a vast network of interactions that has arisen through millions of years of an absolute mess of directionless, accident-based evolution far beyond our comprehension to fathom.  Maybe AI will assist in making some sense of this.

[brake]

3 hours ago, yarkadin said:

"Through overactivation, the 5-HT2A receptor suppresses external sensory-driven activity, and the brain creates perception independent of external stimuli.”

It's funny.  This is exactly the opposite of HPPD where we are flooded with extraneous sensory-driven activity precisely dependent on and catalyzed by external stimuli.

The problem with a lot of these brain studies is that it is the brain studying the brain.  I always found this a peculiar limitation... Wittgenstein wrote about it in his Tractatus and other works.  "If a blind man were to ask me 'have you got two hands?'  I should not make sure by looking. If I were to have any doubt of it, then I don't know why I should trust my eyes. For why shouldn't I test my eyes by looking to find out whether I see my two hands? What is to be tested by what? (Who decides what stands fast?)"  The implication is that we will never be fully certain of the outside world.  On a limited practical set of problems and with tools that extend our senses we can make generalized assumptions but we still can only make those assumptions and take actions via the use of those same senses.

Anyway, it's remarkable that there is any progress at all in this science... a lot of articles and even scientific studies like to paint things in a linear, causal, A>B>C framework, but my best guess is that nothing at all is clear cut and reducible to one serotonin receptor... there is a vast network of interactions that has arisen through millions of years of an absolute mess of directionless, accident-based evolution far beyond our comprehension to fathom.  Maybe AI will assist in making some sense of this.

Smart stuff but I kind of believe in the materialistic sciences. True evolution plays a role and there were a lot spur of the moment adaptations and it seems like they were not linear or "good" and "bad" but merely survival mechanisms based on the current circumstances.

Speaking of AI, Japan seems to be on it!

Japan to start building 1st 'zeta-class' supercomputer in 2025, 1,000 times more powerful than today's fastest machines

 

I placed some hope in AI and a futuristic technological utopia but I developed some doubts as I got older lol. Do I want to join the singularity? I don't think so, I just want to be myself and be healed from this stubborn disorder.

Edited September 22 by brake

[brake]

I'm sorry psychedelics are not the one. They basically say that it could be beneficial in a perfect scientific and therapeutic setting but the fact that they could be so detrimental in "average" settings says something about them I think. Call me biased, whatever but we are the science experiments as well. Maybe it's like nicotine products, they have some benefits, but a percentage does get cancer and create wear and tear 

If they got this disorder then they would understand how terrible it. Just visual snow in itself is awful. Who wants that static all across their vision?! Now combine that with still tripping and all of the other symptoms. Oh my gosh!!! And you can get it just from doing it once?! At least from tobacco products it usually takes years of consistent smoking.

Edited September 22 by brake