Abstract Serotonin was discovered in 1949 and has been detected in all living aerobic organisms and in every tissue of the human body. In animals, serotonin functions both as a neurotransmitter and a trophic factor. As a neurotransmitter, serotonin can modify a variety of biological and behavioural functions, including sex, aggression, appetite, locomotor activity, learning and memory, sleep...
Abstract Hallucinogens constitute one of the oldest classes of drugs used by humanity, often in the context of spiritual practices. Classic hallucinogens such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, N,N ‐dimethyltryptamine (DMT), mescaline and 2,5‐dimethoxy‐4‐methylamphetamine (DOM) produce complex psychological and physical effects, including perceptual changes, cognitive shifts in...
Abstract: Exogenous cannabinoids are ∼60 molecules with a similar structural motif found in marijuana and hashish. Some of these are psychoactive – the chief being Δ 9 ‐tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ 9 ‐THC) – and have been found to exert their psychoactive effects via receptors in the body. The human body makes endogenous cannabinoids that are structurally distinct from exogenous cannabinoids. This...