PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS OF THE MAGIC MUSHROOM (PSILOCYBIN)  EXPERIENCE,  PART I: SUBJECTIVE EFFECTS AND TIME PASSAGE PERCEPTION

Explorações Psicológicas da Experiência com Cogumelos Mágicos  (Psilocibina),  Parte I: Efeitos  Subjetivos e Passagem Subjetiva do Tempo

José Arturo Costa Escobar1, M.S., Antonio Roazzi2, Ph.D.                                                                               

ABSTRACT

Magic  mushrooms are  rich in the active compound  psilocybin, whose activity on consciousness deeply  alters cognitive functions, can promote spiritual/mystical experiences and has high biomedical and psychotherapeutic importance.  Twenty-eight participants underwent a magic  mushroom experience  after consuming dehydrated Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms at the dosage of 55.6 mg/Kg  (350  μg/kg of psilocybin). Results of subjective aspects of the experience through the Hallucinogen Rating Scale revealed equivalent dosage effects comparable to other studies and similar to those of the psychedelic beverage  Ayahuasca.  The effects on subjective perception of time duration verified an underestimation of the velocity of temporal passage by participants after substance intake, in which subjects presented longer subjective durations of seconds. Results are discussed in the context of literature produced  in the psychopharmacological and cognitive fields.

KEY WORDS: Time experience; Hallucinogens; Psychedelics; Psychotomimetics; Cognition.