There's a good chance you hallucinated this week without ever knowing it

Inverse ^ | October 11, 2019 | By Jack Barton on

[BenLurkin]

In the 1950s, researchers stumbled upon a new class of drugs that provided relief for those suffering from schizophrenia. These drugs were known as antipsychotics and, as the name suggests, they reduced symptoms like hallucinations and delusions — primarily by reducing the levels of dopamine in the brain. This led clinicians and scientists to argue that dopamine was linked to the experiences of psychotic symptoms, and a concerted research effort ensued, seeking to solve the puzzle of why excess dopamine might produce hallucinations.

Although it was later shown that increasing dopamine could produce hallucinations, establishing a consistent link between them, it has not been clear why.

They achieved this by taking advantage of a simple fact: Your brain is lazy. It makes shortcuts to understand the deluge of information that bombards it daily. If you’re presented with consistent information, consistently, your brain adjust its expectations of reality in turn. This is the basis of Bayesian theories of how we perceive the world – that is, the brain makes inferences about the world around us based on statistics and probabilities on what is likely to occur.

[I]ncreasing dopamine made it more difficult for participants to adjust their perception — an effect comparable to how the hallucinators had struggled. Moreover, the extent to which participants struggled was strongly associated with the severity of hallucinations — but not with any diagnosis of schizophrenia. In other words, the difficulty appeared to be associated with a symptom, not a diagnosis.

Using brain imaging, the researchers also showed that an increased capacity for dopamine release, from a part of the brain known as the striatum (an area involved in schizophrenia), was associated with the severity of hallucinations. Together, these experiments showed that excess dopamine was associated with difficulty in accurately predicting reality.

[null and void]

That’s big of you!

[Tax-chick]

On the internet, nobody can tell that you’re 40 feet tall.

[null and void]

Like your ant?

[Monkey Face]

Of course. It’s Monday. I’m so sorry! I hope it can be replaced by tomorrow because Mondays run in threes. (The fourth one is actually Friday Eve!)

[null and void]

*shrug* Mom did ask yesterday if we had anything on the agenda for today.

Now we do.

[Tax-chick]

I think that was ArGee’s aunt.

[null and void]

My bad, sorry.

[null and void]

I always get THEM! confused

[Tax-chick]

I’d rather not have been reminded about the insect. I prefer reptiles and even arachnids.

[Monkey Face]

And just like that, PRESTO! An errand!

Were the prescriptions ever found?

[null and void]

When she got tired of choking down half pills they magically reappeared.

It only took three weeks.

[Monkey Face]

Holy cow! Klepto Momma! Hid them so she wouldn’t have to take them? LOL!

[null and void]

She never owned up to that. Just “I found them in my drawer.”

[ArGee]

Yellow and Happy Monday, everyone.

Sorry I’m late. I broke my Project Plan Friday afternoon and had to fix it before the meeting marathon started. And that just ended.

[Tax-chick]

Monday all over the world ...

[ArGee]

I’m doing several loads: got behind yesterday p.m. because Tom the Son was washing.

Not enough water pressure for both the washing machine and the shower? Or dos TtS bathe in the washing machine?

Actually, that wouldn't be so bad if it's not one of those locking ones. Just don't set the spin cycle.

[ArGee]

There are lots of ladies who wander the streets of Gotham wearing nothing but yoga pants. This is not a body shaming comment - I don’t think they know how much they are exposing. The only thing left to imagine is where birthmarks might be located.

[ArGee]

Sorry to hear that, Nully. What is the nature of this U.D.?

[null and void]

Coffeemaker died. Burner burned out.

[null and void]

God bless the woman who invented yoga pants.