LSD and Heuristics

[Citadel]

I'm interested in the effects LSD has -- either as a heuristic device or in conjunction with heuristics -- on learning capabilities. I've searched the forums and came across only one topic vaguely related (Meta-Programming with LSD).

I've done a medium-depth search with Google and found only one paper that had two examples of human subjects. I also found a research abstract describing the increase of associated learning in mice while using LSD.

The human subjects were not in a scientific setting, but one described the acquisition of German to an intermediate fluency in a single session (Followed by continued reading and studies for a 2 week period.) The other subject used LSD to help ingrain motor function and note memory for the guitar.

According to what I've heard about the biochemical effects of LSD, the drugs path is traced through the primitive parts of the brain and branches to the under-developed sections there after (Medulla Oblongata, Cerebellum, Pineal, Unused portions of Right/Left Hemisphere)

I was wondering if anyone on the board had any experience or knew more about the subject?

 

[Meduzz]

i'm also interested in learning capacities on psychedelics in general (including marihuana).

just following some intuition, but if psychedelics can leave such a profound impression in the brain, it must be able to "write" certain paterns in the memory very deeply.

also, hoffman had already proven that the entire memory function of the brain keeps its activity.

 

[Monochromatic_Knight]

I would search the archives on MAPS and Erowid. Not many people know about it but both sites have a somewhat searchable archive of old studies from the 70s and before. You'd probably also be interested in the findings of the recently launched LSD brain synchrony study.

"Beckley's initial pilot study will look at dose-related changes in
consciousness using electroencephalography (EEG). It will investigate
the hypothesis that LSD induces increased synchronization in the
electrical activity between neurons, and that this enhanced neural
synchrony, plus increased integration of activity between cortical
regions, will be linked with changes in cognition. In particular, new
neurocognitive measures will be applied to study attention and
temporal integration on perceptual tasks."

Social psychology is my other passion aside from psychedelics. Heuristics is an incredibly powerful field of study. I wish you well in your search...

 

[Citadel]

There are two paths to explore when thinking about the learning process under the influence of psychedelics:

The yogic/universal library or mental acuity.

In the first instance, by using LSD or other psychedelic the ego starts to die off and filters are removed from the conscious mind. With still a bit of ego remaining, (enough to drive someone to learn) the individual not only learns the information from the immediate surrounding, put pulls information from "elsewhere".

In a purely physical capacity, LSD moves to unused parts of the brain. An assumption is that this can cause increased mental capacityand can be equivalent to "whole brain" learning. The substance may also be able to augment a subjects naturally "superior" learning pattern (Audio, Visual, Kinesthetic, Etc...) by creating vivid and time-distorted associations with the learned content.

It's possible that both may be the case, or neither. The study you mention is very interesting and I will have to look more into it. I've searched through some of Erowid and am looking my way through MAPS.

I'd like to initiate a discussion on the possibilities for drugs to be used for something beyond medicinal "healing" and recreational "tripping". The concepts lie in improvement and assistance. Not to suggest an american ideal of "instant gratification", but a reward for concentration and dedication while using a tool.

In my search, I stumbled across a study on rats:

http://www.nature.com/npp/journal/v31/n8/full/1300944a.html

The abstract states that LSD "enhance a prolonged, late wave of glutamate release". Glutamate is a neurotransmitter in the mammialian nervous system and is linked with learning and synaptic plasticity. Such glutamate spillover is often the cause of strokes or Alzheimer's disease, but there have been no widely published findings to suggest that the glutamate production from LSD has produced such effects.

Because of these previous findings, I'm extremely excited about the LSD Brain Synchrony Study. Thank you very much Monochromatic_Knight. This being said, I still haven't found information to support or explain an increase or refinement of muscle memory.

Any thoughts, links, experiences will help. I want to get people thinking about this subject.

 

[GOD]

Nobody learnt German in one night . LSD is supposed to be able to help you concentrate and make you 10% intelligenter acording to what i have read . Several nobel prize winners have said publicly that without LSD they would not have got the award . I have some scientific books about it , if you realy want to know tell me and i can look it up , but it will take time for me to read it all again and find the references .

Suss yourself some A Hofmann books or "LSD - A total study" by a guy called siva sankar . "The encyclopedea of psychedelic drugs" by Peter Stafford is also a good source of info . Send me a private message if you want LSD info and i`ll beam you some interesting PDFs over , maybe we can do a swap if you have anything intersting to read ???