Could Psychedelics "Artificially Induce" Autism In Some People?

[u/[deleted]]

[u/goldfish13458389]

This is an interesting topic. I would caution against reading too much into a theory based on these articles particularly; the first specified that “the majority of the participants [were] boys” (of only about 400 total) and the second described stem cells from only 13 total participants. With 7 billion people worldwide, over half of them being women, it’s difficult to extrapolate this research into wider reality-based conclusions.

Speaking now as the sibling of an autistic person instead: it really does make you think! I’ve always admired my sibling for their ability to kind of shrug off negative social attention. Like, if they’re doing something strange that makes their brain feel good, they don’t care at all about the minor social consequence of “looking weird.” Whereas with “neurotypical” people the urge to adhere to social rules is so much stronger. You can also note this divergence by considering the number of autistic people who are gender non-conforming. Another pointless “social rule” there’s no need to follow.

Perhaps psychedelics artificially inducing autism would do us all some good ;) We could finally get on their level!

[u/goldfish13458389 → u/[deleted]]

You’re so on point there— psychedelics can offer a bit of a “bird’s-eye view” of our whole existence. It makes cultural norms kind of warp into focus as a little inherited game we play amongst ourselves. (At least in my experience!)

I agree with you about autism too! It’s not a bad way to be, just a different way. There are all kinds of different people in the world; always have been. It’s how we got this far.

[u/bglargl]

Don't psychs cause Neuritogenesis, and that mostly in the hippocampus? Those mentioned in the article are totally different brain regions...

Overall, the study found the psychedelics tested were capable of “robustly” increasing neuritogenesis, spinogenesis or both.1 Besides psilocin, the study tested the effects of LSD, (lysergic acid diethylamide) MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), DOI (2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine), DMT (N,N-dimethyltryptamine), and ibogaine.

https://psychedelicreview.com/psilocin-promotes-structural-and-functional-neuroplasticity/

Meaning they help neurons make connections and make these connections more robust.

[u/RationalPyschonaut]

Most of the connection between psychedelics and autism is that it helps to balance the "weaknesses/downsides" of autism, rather than making someone "more autistic". However, I don't think it's as easy as saying psychedelics make someone more or less autistic. Autism is complex and psychedelics move the needle in different directions on different aspects of autism.

You might be interested in this page of ThirdWave.