Psychotomimetic Compensation and Sensitization

Abstract

It is a paradox that psychotomimetic drugs can relieve symptoms that increase risk of and cooccur with psychosis, such as attention and motivational deficits (e.g., amphetamines), pain (e.g., cannabis) and symptoms of depression (e.g., psychedelics, dissociatives). We introduce the ideas of psychotomimetic compensation and psychotomimetic sensitization to explain this paradox. Psychotomimetic compensation refers to a stress or drug induced compensation against stress (see Fig 1) that is facilitated by engagement of neurotransmitter/modulator systems (endocannabinoid, serotonergic, glutamatergic and dopaminergic) that mediate the effects of common psychotomimetic drugs (see Fig 3). Psychotomimetic sensitization occurs after repeated exposure to stress and/or drugs (Fig 3) and is evidenced by the gradual intensification and increase of psychotic-like experiences over time. Theoretical and practical implications of this model are discussed.