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A dissociative is a drug which reduces (or blocks) signals to the conscious mind from other parts of the brain, typically, but not necessarily, limited to the sense
Sense

Senses are the physiological methods of perception. The senses and their operation, classification, and theory are overlapping topics studied by a variety of fields, most notably neuroscience, cognitive psychology , and philosophy of perception....
s. Such a state of sensory deprivation
Sensory deprivation

Sensory deprivation is the deliberate reduction or removal of stimulus from one or more of the senses. Simple devices such as blindfolds or Hood and earmuffs can cut off sight and hearing respectively, while more complex devices can also cut off the sense of smell, touch, taste, thermoception , and 'gravity'....
 and dissociation can facilitate self-exploration, hallucination
Hallucination

A hallucination, in the broadest sense, is a perception in the absence of a stimulus . In a stricter sense, hallucinations are defined as perceptions in a conscious and awake state in the absence of external stimuli which have qualities of real perception, in that they are vivid, substantial, and located in external objective space....
s, and dream
Dream

Dreams are sequence s, sounds and feelings experienced while sleeping, strongly associated with rapid eye movement sleep. The contents and biological purposes of dreams are not fully understood, though they have been a topic of speculation and interest throughout recorded history....
like states of mind which may resemble some psychedelic
Psychedelic

The word 'psychedelic' is an English term coined from the Greek language words for "soul," ???? , and "manifest," d???? . A psychedelic experience is characterized by the perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly ordinary fetters....
 mindstates. Essentially, similar states of mind can be reached via contrasting paths—psychedelic or dissociative.






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A dissociative is a drug which reduces (or blocks) signals to the conscious mind from other parts of the brain, typically, but not necessarily, limited to the sense
Sense

Senses are the physiological methods of perception. The senses and their operation, classification, and theory are overlapping topics studied by a variety of fields, most notably neuroscience, cognitive psychology , and philosophy of perception....
s. Such a state of sensory deprivation
Sensory deprivation

Sensory deprivation is the deliberate reduction or removal of stimulus from one or more of the senses. Simple devices such as blindfolds or Hood and earmuffs can cut off sight and hearing respectively, while more complex devices can also cut off the sense of smell, touch, taste, thermoception , and 'gravity'....
 and dissociation can facilitate self-exploration, hallucination
Hallucination

A hallucination, in the broadest sense, is a perception in the absence of a stimulus . In a stricter sense, hallucinations are defined as perceptions in a conscious and awake state in the absence of external stimuli which have qualities of real perception, in that they are vivid, substantial, and located in external objective space....
s, and dream
Dream

Dreams are sequence s, sounds and feelings experienced while sleeping, strongly associated with rapid eye movement sleep. The contents and biological purposes of dreams are not fully understood, though they have been a topic of speculation and interest throughout recorded history....
like states of mind which may resemble some psychedelic
Psychedelic

The word 'psychedelic' is an English term coined from the Greek language words for "soul," ???? , and "manifest," d???? . A psychedelic experience is characterized by the perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly ordinary fetters....
 mindstates. Essentially, similar states of mind can be reached via contrasting paths—psychedelic or dissociative. That said, the entire experience's risks and benefits are markedly different.

The primary dissociatives are similar in action to phencyclidine
Phencyclidine

Phencyclidine , also known as angel dust, is a dissociative drug formerly used as an anesthesia agent, exhibiting hallucinogenic and neurotoxic effects....
 (PCP), and include ketamine
Ketamine

Ketamine is a drug used in human and veterinary medicine developed by Parke-Davis in 1962. Its hydrochloride salt is sold as Ketanest, Ketaset, and Ketalar....
 and dextromethorphan
Dextromethorphan

Dextromethorphan is an antitussive drug. It is one of the active ingredients used to prevent coughs in many Over-the-counter drug common cold and cough medicines....
 (DXM). Also included are nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide

Nitrous oxide, commonly known as "laughing gas", is a chemical compound with the chemical formula Nitrogen2Oxygen. At room temperature, it is a colorless Flammability gas, with a pleasant, slightly sweet odor and taste....
 (laughing gas), salvia divinorum
Salvia divinorum

Salvia divinorum, also known as Diviner?s Sage, ska Mar?a Pastora, or simply by the genus name Salvia, is a Psychoactive drug herb which can induce strong dissociative drug effects....
, and muscimol
Muscimol

Muscimol is the major psychoactive alkaloid present in many mushrooms of the Amanita genus. Unlike psilocybin, a tryptamine, muscimol is a potent, selective agonist of the GABA A receptor receptor....
 from the amanita muscaria
Amanita muscaria

Amanita muscaria, commonly known as the fly agaric or fly Amanita, is a poisonous and psychoactive basidiomycete fungus, one of many in the genus Amanita....
 (fly agaric) mushroom.

Many dissociatives have central nervous system
Central nervous system

The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that functions to coordinate the activity of all parts of the bodies of multicellular organisms....
 depressant
Depressant

Depressant is a chemical agent that diminishes the function or activity of a specific part of the body.The term is used in particular with regard to the central nervous system ....
 effects, thereby carrying risks similar to opioids. At high doses, such drugs slow breathing and lower the heart rate
Heart rate

Heart rate is a measure of the number of heart beats per minute . The average resting human heart rate is about 70 bpm for adult males and 75 bpm for adult females....
 to levels which can result in death
Death

Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that define a life organism. It refers to both a particular event and to the condition that results thereby....
.

Their effects are characterized by intense feelings of depersonalization
Depersonalization

Depersonalization is an alteration in the perception or experience of the self so that one feels detached from, and as if one is an outside observer of, one's mental processes or body....
, derealization
Derealization

Derealization is an alteration in the perception or experience of the external world so that it seems strange or unreal. Other symptoms include feeling as though one's environment is lacking in spontaneity, emotional colouring and depth....
, and analgesia.

Pharmacological classes of dissociatives, and their general subjective effects


Entries marked with a # are naturally occurring.

NMDA receptor antagonists


Uncompetitive channel blocker
Channel blocker

A channel blocker is a membrane transport modulator that generates its effect by interfering with transmission through an ion channel.Examples include:...
s include:
  • Amantadine
    Amantadine

    Amantadine is the organic compound known formally as 1-aminoadamantane. The molecule consists of adamantane backbone that is substituted at one of the four methyne positions with an amino group....
     
  • AP5
    APV (NMDAR antagonist)

    AP5 or APV is a selective NMDA receptor antagonist that competitive inhibition the active site of NMDA receptor.AP5 blocks the cellular analog of classical conditioning in the sea slug Aplysia californica, and has similar effects on Aplysia long-term potentiation, since NMDA receptors are required for both....
     (2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoate), a competitive glutamate antagonist selective for the NMDA-R.
  • Dextromethorphan
    Dextromethorphan

    Dextromethorphan is an antitussive drug. It is one of the active ingredients used to prevent coughs in many Over-the-counter drug common cold and cough medicines....
  • Ibogaine
    Ibogaine

    Ibogaine is a naturally occurring Psychoactive drug compound found in a number of plants, principally in a member of the Apocynaceae known as iboga ....
     #
  • Ketamine
    Ketamine

    Ketamine is a drug used in human and veterinary medicine developed by Parke-Davis in 1962. Its hydrochloride salt is sold as Ketanest, Ketaset, and Ketalar....
  • Phencyclidine
    Phencyclidine

    Phencyclidine , also known as angel dust, is a dissociative drug formerly used as an anesthesia agent, exhibiting hallucinogenic and neurotoxic effects....
  • Tenocyclidine
    Tenocyclidine

    Tenocyclidine is a Dissociative drug anesthesia drug with stimulant and hallucinogenic effects. It is similar in effects to phencyclidine but is considerably more potent....
  • Nitrous oxide
    Nitrous oxide

    Nitrous oxide, commonly known as "laughing gas", is a chemical compound with the chemical formula Nitrogen2Oxygen. At room temperature, it is a colorless Flammability gas, with a pleasant, slightly sweet odor and taste....
     #
  • Xenon
    Xenon

    Xenon is a chemical element represented by the chemical symbol Xe. Its atomic number is 54. A colorless, heavy, odorless noble gas, xenon occurs in the Earth's atmosphere in trace amounts....
     #


Most members of the noncompetitive channel-blocker group are arylcyclohexylamines. Their molecular structure includes a cyclohexyl ring, a piperidine ring and a phenyl group. The gases nitrous oxide and xenon are obvious exceptions

Non-competitive antagonists include:
  • Aptiganel
    Aptiganel

    Aptiganel is a drug which acts as a noncompetitive NMDA antagonist. It has neuroprotective effects and was researched for potential use in the treatment of stroke, but despite positive results in animal studies, human trials showed limited efficacy, as well as undesirable side effects such as sedation and hallucinations, and clinical develop...
     (Cerestat, CNS-1102). Binds the Mg2+
    Magnesium

    Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, atomic weight 24.3050 and common oxidation number +2.Magnesium, an alkaline earth metal, is the ninth most abundance of the chemical elements in the universe by mass....
     binding site within the channel of the NMDAR.
  • Memantine
    Memantine

    Memantine is the first in a novel class of Alzheimer's disease medications acting on the glutamatergic system by blocking NMDA glutamate receptors....
     (Axura, Akatinol, Namenda, Ebixa, 1-amino-3,5-dimethylada-mantane). Approved in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration
    Food and Drug Administration

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is an Government agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and is responsible for regulating and supervising the safety of foods, dietary supplements, Medications, vaccines, Biopharmaceutical, blood transfusion, medical devices, Electromagnetic radiation-emitting devices, veteri...
     for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
  • Remacimide. Principle metabolite
    Metabolite

    Metabolites are the intermediates and products of metabolism. The term metabolite is usually restricted to small molecules. A primary metabolite is directly involved in normal growth, development, and reproduction....
     is an uncompetitive antagonist with a low affinity for the binding site.


Drugs that act at the glycine binding site include 7-chlorokynurenate.

?-opioid receptor
Opioid receptor

Opioid receptors are a group of G-protein coupled receptors with opioids as ligands. The endogenous opioids are dynorphins, enkephalins, endorphins, endomorphins and nociceptin....
 agonists

  • Salvinorin-A #, the active constituent of Salvia divinorum
    Salvia divinorum

    Salvia divinorum, also known as Diviner?s Sage, ska Mar?a Pastora, or simply by the genus name Salvia, is a Psychoactive drug herb which can induce strong dissociative drug effects....
     (diviner's sage)
  • Enadoline
    Enadoline

    Enadoline is a drug which acts as a highly selective kappa opioid receptor agonist.In human studies, it produced visual distortions and feelings of dissociation, reminiscent of the effects of Salvinorin A....
  • Ibogaine
    Ibogaine

    Ibogaine is a naturally occurring Psychoactive drug compound found in a number of plants, principally in a member of the Apocynaceae known as iboga ....
     (Weak / Complex mechanism of action)
  • Pentazocine
    Pentazocine

    Pentazocine is a synthetically-prepared prototypical mixed agonist-antagonist narcotic drug of the benzomorphan class of opioids used to treat mild to moderately severe pain....


s-opioid receptor
Opioid receptor

Opioid receptors are a group of G-protein coupled receptors with opioids as ligands. The endogenous opioids are dynorphins, enkephalins, endorphins, endomorphins and nociceptin....
 agonists


  • Noscapine
    Noscapine

    Noscapine is a benzylisoquinoline alkaloid from plants of the Papaveraceae family, without significant analgesic properties. This agent is primarily used for its antitussive effects....
    , a minor alkaloid found in opium
    Opium

    Opium is a narcotic formed from the latex released by lacerating the immature seed pods of Opium poppy . It contains up to 12% morphine, an opiate alkaloid, which is most frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade....


Amanita muscaria
Amanita muscaria

Amanita muscaria, commonly known as the fly agaric or fly Amanita, is a poisonous and psychoactive basidiomycete fungus, one of many in the genus Amanita....
 constituents

  • Muscimol
    Muscimol

    Muscimol is the major psychoactive alkaloid present in many mushrooms of the Amanita genus. Unlike psilocybin, a tryptamine, muscimol is a potent, selective agonist of the GABA A receptor receptor....
     # GABA-A
    GABA A receptor

    The GABAA receptor is one of two Ligand-gated ion channel ion channels responsible for mediating the effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid , the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain....
     agonist, primary active constituent
  • Ibotenic acid
    Ibotenic acid

    Ibotenic acid is a chemical compound that is naturally occurring in the mushrooms Amanita muscaria and Amanita pantherina, among others....
     # NMDA agonist, neurotoxin
    Neurotoxin

    A neurotoxin is a toxin that acts specifically on nerve cells , usually by interacting with membrane proteins such as ion channels.Some sources are more general, and define the effect of neurotoxins as occurring at nerve tissue....
    , metabolizes to muscimol or can be converted into muscimol by heating at 170 C
  • Muscarine
    Muscarine

    Muscarine, L--muscarine, or muscarin is a Secondary metabolite found in certain mushrooms, particularly in Inocybe and Clitocybe species, such as the deadly Clitocybe dealbata....
     # muscarinic ACh
    Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor

    Muscarinic receptors, or mAChRs, are G protein-coupled receptor acetylcholine receptors found in the plasma membranes of certain neurons and other Cell s....
     agonist, trace constituent, not active in brain but causes physical side effects


These four groups of dissociatives have slightly different effects but also share similarities separating them from other classes of hallucinogens. They are markedly different from psychedelics such as LSD
LSD

Lysergic acid diethylamide, LSD, LSD-25, or acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family. Its unusual psychological effects, which include visuals of colored patterns behind the eyes in the mind, a sense of time distorting, and crawling geometric patterns, have made it one of the most widely known psyched...
, where alert and fully conscious users experience cognitive distortion while simultaneously interacting with the "real world". Hallucinations from these dissociatives are generally only experienced in dark rooms or with eyes closed, unless at very high doses above what is normally consumed recreationally. Nitrous oxide has very different effects however, and even at low doses includes auditory distortions. Unlike with many other psychedelic chemicals, salvia users are generally not ambulatory
Ambulatory

The ambulatory is the covered passage around a cloister; a term applied sometimes to the procession way around the east end of a cathedral or large church and behind the high altar....
 and the experience is frequently dissociative. Often a very brief trance
Trance

Trance denotes a variety of processes, techniques, modalities and states of mind, awareness and consciousness. Trance states may occur involuntarily and unbidden....
 is entered, where the user experiences an intense and very realistic dream state. On the other hand, the effect of salvia on emotion
Emotion

An emotion is a mental and physiological state associated with a wide variety of feelings, thoughts, and behavior.Emotions are subjective experiences, or experienced from an individual point of view....
 has been reported to be less marked than that of true psychedelics.

Although muscimol does not usually cause normal hallucinations, it has a tendency to put the user to sleep, during which the user is able to have very vivid dreams with good dream recall.

See also

  • Deliriant
    Deliriant

    The deliriants are a special class of acetylcholine receptor-inhibitor dissociatives. The name comes from their primary effect of inducing a medical state of frank delirium, characterized by stupor, utter confusion, confabulation, and regression to "phantom" behaviors such as disrobing and plucking ....
  • Psychedelic drug
    Psychedelic drug

    A psychedelic substance is any psychoactive drugs whose primary action is to alter the thought processes of the brain and perception of the mind....
  • Psychedelics, dissociatives and deliriants
    Psychedelics, dissociatives and deliriants

    The general group of pharmacology agents commonly known as hallucinogens can be divided into three broad categories: Psychedelic drugs, dissociatives, and deliriants....
  • Psychoactive drug
    Psychoactive drug

    A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood , consciousness and behaviour....