In 45 normal subjects, horizontal eye movements changed after psychotropic drugs. Amobarbital and chlorpromazine gradually eliminated rapid eye movements. LSD-25 increased rapid movements in 80% of subjects and produced large, slow pendular movements in about half, especially among those showing euphoria, disinhibition, and ecstasy. Psilocybin caused similar pendular movements but with longer duration. Methamphetamine and epinephrine initially decreased slow movements and increased rapid ones; epinephrine later transiently increased slow movements. The findings suggest different drugs distinctly alter eye movement patterns, possibly reflecting their mechanisms of action.
Loss of myelin sheaths around neuronal axons is increasingly recognized as a key factor in a broad range of psychiatric and neurological disorders, including schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, autism spectrum disorder, substance use disorders, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis. This review examines core mechanisms driving demyelination, its clinical impact, and emerging therapeutic strategies. Key contributors include genetic predisposition, environmental triggers, immune dysregulation, neuroinflammation, and alterations in the gut-brain axis mediated by the vagus nerve.