Psychedelic drugs and perception: a narrative review of the first era of research
Reviews in the Neurosciences February 5, 2021 Jacob S. Aday, J. Wood, Emily K. Bloesch et al.
A narrative review of early- to mid-20th-century research finds that psychedelic drugs alter perception across multiple sensory domains. Psychedelics influence all levels of the visual system, from retina to cortex, and can produce complex imagery and hallucinations. They also affect auditory discrimination and processing, sometimes leading to auditory hallucinations. The drugs distort body schema and time perception. Methodological limitations of that era temper the findings. The review preserves and synthesizes this pioneering work to guide future studies.