Question

Because psychedelic drugs are capable of producing hallucinations and some altered sense of reality, a state that could be called psychotic, they have been referred to as ________ drugs.

A) psychotomimetic
B) psychoanaleptic
C) anxiogenic
D) depressogenic

Answer 1

Psychotomimetic drugs are those that create a state mimicking psychosis, including hallucinations and an altered sense of reality, commonly produced by hallucinogens.

Step-by-step explanation:

The drugs capable of producing hallucinations and some altered sense of reality, a state that could be called psychotic, are referred to as psychotomimetic drugs. This term comes from ‘psycho’ referring to mind, ‘tomo’ which signifies cutting or section, as in a segment of, and ‘mimetic’ to mimic.

So, psychotomimetic drugs create a temporary state that mimics aspects of a psychotic state, including hallucinations and a skewed perception of reality.

Hallucinogens are a class of psychoactive drugs that cause these profound alterations in sensory and perceptual experiences. They can profoundly affect neurotransmitter systems throughout the brain, with classic hallucinogens like LSD acting as serotonin agonists, and dissociative drugs like PCP and ketamine acting as antagonists of the NMDA glutamate receptor.