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- Your DNA influences how you react to psychedelic drugs, along with other factors.
- Certain genes affect how you absorb serotonin (a mood booster) and metabolize drugs like ketamine.
- Other markers can indicate a higher risk of developing psychosis and schizophrenia, which can be triggered by drugs.
As clinical trials have illuminated the therapeutic potential of some psychedelic drugs, new opportunities to try them legally have emerged.
This psychedelic renaissance has sparked a conversation about how to take drugs like "magic" mushrooms, MDMA, and LSD safely. People can now take ketamine at spa-like clinics, or trip on psilocybin in a doctor's office with a specially-curated playlist to guide them.
HaluGen Life Sciences, a healthcare technology company, is offering genetic testing to give insight into psychedelic sensitivities. For $89, users can swab their cheeks at home, mail in a bit of DNA, and view a personalized genetic report online within a couple weeks.
The test covers five different DNA markers for psychedelic sensitivity, metabolism, and mental health risk. However, some of the conclusions drawn by HaluGen are oversimplified or based on outdated science, experts told VICE. A disclaimer on the test results page says the information is not meant to be taken as medical advice.
While you shouldn't use a single genetic marker as the be-all end-all, your genetic profile is one of many factors to consider when embarking on a psychedelic journey.
Here's what to know about how your genes could affect your next trip.
HTR2A Serotonin Gene
Many psychedelic drugs mimic the effects of serotonin, the mood-boosting neurotransmitter. Problems with serotonin absorption have been implicated in mood disorders like depression.
Classical psychedelics like psilocybin, LSD, and DMT activate those serotonin receptors in the brain, causing neurons to fire in a "noisy" fashion that may trigger a psychedelic experience. Scientists have theorized that the 5-HTR2A receptor is directly involved in the hallucinogenic effects associated with such a trip.
About 20% of people have a variant of the HTR2A serotonin gene that gives them extra receptors. More receptors for serotonin means they may be extra sensitive to it and more susceptible to the hallucinogenic effects of psychedelic drugs.
CYP2B6 Metabolism Gene
Ketamine is a fast-acting anesthetic that has recently been repurposed for its potentially therapeutic effects. The drug creates a sense of dissociation that can be beneficial for people with depression.
The CYP2B6 gene affects how you metabolize ketamine via the liver. Between 10 and 20% of people have a variant that causes them to clear the drug from their system half as fast as others.
These "slow metabolizers" should be extra cautious about taking ketamine, since they're more likely to have a long or intense trip, according to HaluGen. They also have a higher risk for adverse reactions to the drug — such as drowsiness, unpleasant hallucinations, and confusion — especially if they inject it rather than taking it orally or nasally.
C4A Risk Gene CNV
Several mind-altering drugs have the potential to trigger psychosis. A few different genes may modulate that risk.
The C4A gene is involved in synaptic pruning, an important process that helps mature the brain from adolescence to adulthood. The gene's protein whittles down extra neural connections to make room for more complex pathways in the brain.
Some people have more copies of the gene than others, and those at the high end of that range may experience more disorderly pruning, which is believed to be a contributing factor to mental health risk.
People with a greater risk of developing psychosis, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia should avoid taking psychedelic drugs.
NRG1 Risk Gene
Overexpression of the neuregulin 1 (NRG1) gene has also been linked to psychosis in at-risk populations.
While the C4A proteins prune unnecessary connections, NRG1 proteins help promote new neuron growth. This is vital to the "use it or lose it" process involved in short-term learning and long-term memory.
The T/T genotype, seen in about 15% of the population, disrupts that process by expressing too many NRG1 proteins. This may increase someone's likelihood of developing psychosis, making psychedelics a risky choice.
DISC1 Risk Gene
Finally, the disrupted in schizophrenia (DISC1) gene has been linked to an increased risk for bipolar disorder, psychosis, and possibly schizophrenia. The gene expresses proteins vital to brain development.
DISC1 was one of the first well-established genes for predicting genetic risk for mental health disorders across populations and ethnicities. Recent research has both challenged and supported this association.
To be safe, people with the T/T genotype, which indicates a higher risk, should not take psychedelic drugs.
5 genes that may affect your reaction to psychedelic drugs like 'magic' mushrooms and LSD
Source: Kalayaan News
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