Centre for Psychedelic Research, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
J Psychopharmacol. 2021 Apr;35(4):319-352. doi: 10.1177/0269881120959637. Epub 2020 Nov 11.
This paper introduces a new construct, the 'pivotal mental state', which is defined as a hyper-plastic state aiding rapid and deep learning that can mediate psychological transformation. We believe this new construct bears relevance to a broad range of psychological and psychiatric phenomena. We argue that pivotal mental states serve an important evolutionary function, that is, to aid psychological transformation when actual or perceived environmental pressures demand this. We cite evidence that chronic stress and neurotic traits are primers for a pivotal mental state, whereas acute stress can be a trigger. Inspired by research with serotonin 2A receptor agonist psychedelics, we highlight how activity at this particular receptor can robustly and reliably induce pivotal mental states, but we argue that the capacity for pivotal mental states is an inherent property of the human brain itself. Moreover, we hypothesize that serotonergic psychedelics hijack a system that has evolved to mediate rapid and deep learning when its need is sensed. We cite a breadth of evidences linking stress via a variety of inducers, with an upregulated serotonin 2A receptor system (e.g. upregulated availability of and/or binding to the receptor) and acute stress with 5-HT release, which we argue can activate this primed system to induce a pivotal mental state. The pivotal mental state model is multi-level, linking a specific molecular gateway (increased serotonin 2A receptor signaling) with the inception of a hyper-plastic brain and mind state, enhanced rate of associative learning and the potential mediation of a psychological transformation.
本文介绍了一种新的结构，即“关键心理状态”，它被定义为一种促进快速和深度学习的超塑状态，可以介导心理转变。我们认为这个新的结构与广泛的心理和精神现象有关。我们认为，关键心理状态具有重要的进化功能，即在实际或感知到的环境压力需要时，帮助进行心理转变。我们引用证据表明，慢性压力和神经质特征是关键心理状态的诱因，而急性压力则可能是触发因素。受 5-羟色胺 2A 受体激动剂致幻剂研究的启发，我们强调了这种特定受体的活性如何能够强有力地和可靠地诱导关键心理状态，但我们认为，关键心理状态的能力是人类大脑本身的固有特性。此外，我们假设 5-羟色胺能致幻剂劫持了一个系统，当它感觉到需要时，这个系统可以进行快速和深入的学习。我们引用了大量的证据，将压力通过各种诱导因素联系起来，与上调的 5-羟色胺 2A 受体系统（例如，受体的可用性增加和/或结合增加）以及急性压力与 5-HT 释放相关联，我们认为这可以激活这个被激活的系统，诱导关键心理状态。关键心理状态模型是多层次的，将特定的分子门（增加 5-羟色胺 2A 受体信号）与超塑大脑和心理状态的起始、联想学习的增强速度以及心理转变的潜在介导联系起来。
