A '''hallucinogen''' is a pharmacological substance that when ingested causes [[hallucination]]s - profound distortions in a person's perceptions of reality. Under the influence of hallucinogens, people see images, hear sounds, and feel sensations that seem real but do not exist. Some hallucinogens also produce rapid, intense emotional swings. Hallucinogens cause their effects by disrupting the interaction of [[nerve]] cells and the [[neurotransmitter]] [[serotonin]]. <ref>http://www.drugabuse.gov/ResearchReports/hallucinogens/halluc2.html</ref> Hallucinogenic substances may be synthetically manufactured in a laboratory like [[LSD]] or derive from natural plant (e.g [[peyote]], [[cannabis]]), [[fungi]] (e.g [[magic mushrooms]]) or animal ([[Colorado River toad]]) sources. | A '''hallucinogen''' is a pharmacological substance that when ingested causes [[hallucination]]s - profound distortions in a person's perceptions of reality. Under the influence of hallucinogens, people see images, hear sounds, and feel sensations that seem real but do not exist. Some hallucinogens also produce rapid, intense emotional swings. Hallucinogens cause their effects by disrupting the interaction of [[nerve]] cells and the [[neurotransmitter]] [[serotonin]]. <ref>http://www.drugabuse.gov/ResearchReports/hallucinogens/halluc2.html</ref> Hallucinogenic substances may be synthetically manufactured in a laboratory like [[LSD]] or derive from natural plant (e.g [[peyote]], [[cannabis]]), [[fungi]] (e.g [[magic mushrooms]]) or animal ([[Colorado River toad]]) sources. |