This paper presents an example of the depersonalization syndrome as experienced and described by an intelligent patient. Considering the frequency of its occurrence, this syndrome has not been as often recognized nor as adequately described as would be expected. The syndrome was first described by Mayer-Gross (1935), later by Gordon (1936), Shorvon (1946, 1947) and Tayleur Stockings (1947). The...
Psychoactive drugs profoundly alter consciousness, but the neural mechanisms by which they do so remain poorly understood. Global workspace theory may provide a framework for investigating these mechanisms. The global workspace, a candidate neural substrate of consciousness, is a set of brain regions that integrate and disseminate information to the rest of the brain. According to a recent...
The term “psychedelic” lacks a consensus definition, yet a growing body of regulatory and commercial infrastructure—FDA clinical-trial guidance, AMA reimbursement codes, research grants, and insurance coverage decisions—turns on whether a given substance falls within the category. This short essay argues that the boundaries of the “psychedelic” label are doing significant normative work that is...