This so-called psychedelic revolution we’re currently experiencing is giving rise to a great deal of interesting research and new perspectives. While the current focus is on the combination of psychedelic substances and mental health issues, there are also researchers examining completely different areas. And that’s a good thing, because a new report published in Drug Science, Policy and Law suggests that some psychedelic substances may help improve the symptoms of color blindness.
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Life in Color (or Not)
There’s currently a very interesting new documentary on Netflix by the legendary David Attenborough called Life in Color. This documentary series beautifully illustrates how humans and animals perceive the world in color (or lack thereof). For instance, there are animals that see far more colors than we do, resulting in stunning imagery that is almost beyond our comprehension. We humans have to make do with a color palette that’s “standard” for us, but people who are colorblind see a lot less. Here’s a fun test to see if you’re partially colorblind yourself. Fun fact: many people don’t even realize they’re partially colorblind.
But now some researchers seem to think that psychedelic substances like psilocybin (magic mushrooms and magic truffles) and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) might help people with color blindness experience more color. Anecdotal and historical reports have long claimed that psychedelic drugs can alter color vision, but no truly rigorous research has ever been conducted on this.
In a previous study, researchers JEC Anthony and colleagues received reports from participants describing changes in their color blindness symptoms after using psychedelics. Motivated to investigate whether such experiences are common, the researchers analyzed responses to a large-scale annual drug survey—the 2017 edition of the Global Drugs Survey (GDS).
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Psilocybin and LSD most colorful
The survey included a question asking color-blind respondents to report whether their color perception had changed after using a psychedelic substance. The question yielded 47 responses that the researchers were able to categorize.
The responses were almost evenly split—about half (23) of these respondents said they experienced improvements in color blindness after using a psychedelic substance, and about half (24) did not.
The substances most frequently cited for improving color blindness were LSD and psilocybin, although other substances were also reported. The study’s authors specify that “the responses did not indicate that any specific drug caused changes in color blindness with greater frequency than other drugs.”
Although there were not many responses to analyze, the researchers say there were enough to suggest that recreational use of psychedelic drugs may improve color blindness, at least in some users. There were also indications that these improvements might extend beyond the period of intoxication. About 39% of those who experienced changes in color perception said these changes lasted from three days to years after using the substance.
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Neural plasticity
The reason why psychedelics can affect color vision is not clear, but the authors say it may be related to activity involving the 5-HT2A serotonin receptor. They note that psychedelic substances such as LSD and psilocybin are known to activate the 5-HT2A receptor, which can lead to altered neural plasticity and facilitate new connections between cortical regions.
"Psychedelics may facilitate the experience of an expanded spectrum of colors," Anthony and colleagues suggest. "In the heightened psychedelic state, new communication between cortical regions can link new photisms to existing color concepts, enabling a new color experience and improving color blindness."
