Effects of psilocybin on time perception and temporal control of behaviour in humans
Marc Wittmann, Olivia Carter, Felix Hasler, B. Rael Cahn, Ulrike Grimberg, Philipp Spring, Daniel Hell, H. Flohr, Franz X. Vollenweider
Journal of Psychopharmacology May 20, 2006 DOI: 10.1177/0269881106065859 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Double-blind experimental design Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 12 |
| Population | Healthy human volunteers |
| Intervention | Psilocybin |
| Dose | 115μg/kg, 250μg/kg |
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Time perception Cognition Hallucinogen Audiology Working memory Cognitive psychology Developmental psychology |
| Citations | 245 |
| Key findings | Psilocybin significantly impairs reproduction of intervals longer than 2.5 seconds, synchronization to beats longer than 2 seconds, and slows preferred tapping rate. |
Abstract
Hallucinogenic psilocybin is known to alter the subjective experience of time. However, there is no study that systematically investigated objective measures of time perception under psilocybin. Therefore, we studied dose-dependent effects of the serotonin (5-HT) 2A/1A receptor agonist psilocybin (4-phosphoryloxy-N, N-dimethyltryptamine) on temporal processing, employing tasks of temporal reproduction, sensorimotor synchronization and tapping tempo. To control for cognitive and subjective changes, we assessed spatial working memory and conscious experience. Twelve healthy human volunteers were tested under placebo, medium (115μg/kg), and high (250μg/kg) dose conditions, in a double-blind experimental design. Psilocybin was found to significantly impair subjects’ ability to (1) reproduce interval durations longer than 2.5 sec, (2) to synchronize to inter-beat intervals longer than 2 sec and (3) caused subjects to be slower in their preferred tapping rate. These objective effects on timing performance were accompanied by working-memory deficits and subjective changes in conscious state, namely increased reports of ‘depersonalization’ and ‘derealization’ phenomena including disturbances in subjective ‘time sense.’ Our study is the first to systematically assess the impact of psilocybin on timing performance on standardized measures of temporal processing. Results indicate that the serotonin system is selectively involved in duration processing of intervals longer than 2 to 3 seconds and in the voluntary control of the speed of movement. We speculate that psilocybin’s selective disruption of longer intervals is likely to be a product of interactions with cognitive dimensions of temporal processing -presumably via 5-HT2A receptor stimulation.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on psilocybin, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Cancer patients with life-threatening diagnoses and symptoms of depression and/or anxiety | 2016 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 51 |
| Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial Patients with cancer-related anxiety and depression | 2016 | Double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial | n = 29 |
| Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Hallucinogen-naïve adults reporting regular participation in religious or spiritual... | 2006 | Double-blind study | n = 36 |
| Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression Selected group of patients with depression | 2021 | Randomized controlled trial | |
| Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder Adults aged 21 to 75 years with major depressive disorder, not currently using... | 2020 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 24 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 132
- Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 1, 2008
- Acute, subacute and long-term subjective effects of psilocybin in healthy humans: a pooled analysis of experimental studies Journal of Psychopharmacology September 20, 2010
- Ego-Dissolution and Psychedelics: Validation of the Ego-Dissolution Inventory (EDI) Frontiers in Human Neuroscience June 14, 2016
- Finding the self by losing the self: Neural correlates of ego-dissolution under psilocybin Human Brain Mapping May 22, 2015
- Single-dose psilocybin-assisted therapy in major depressive disorder: A placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomised clinical trial. EClinicalMedicine February 1, 2023
and 127 more in the library
Cites 13
- Psilocybin induces schizophrenia-like psychosis in humans via a serotonin-2 agonist action Neuroreport December 1, 1998
- The Standardized Psychometric Assessment of Altered States of Consciousness (ASCs) in Humans Pharmacopsychiatry July 1, 1998
- Acute psychological and physiological effects of psilocybin in healthy humans: a double-blind, placebo-controlled dose?effect study Psychopharmacology March 1, 2004
- Using Psilocybin to Investigate the Relationship between Attention, Working Memory, and the Serotonin 1A and 2A Receptors Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience October 1, 2005
- Effects of the 5-HT2A Agonist Psilocybin on Mismatch Negativity Generation and AX-Continuous Performance Task: Implications for the Neuropharmacology of Cognitive Deficits in Schizophrenia Neuropsychopharmacology 2003
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