Health - Does the use of Datura and other anticholinergics lead to brain damage?

[socrates]

I've been intrigued about Datura ever since I encountered experiences of complete and utter delerium--ranging from talking to people who weren't there and the warping of everything that was once real to seeing visions of horrific madness and destruction.

I'm aware that the potential for overdose is extremely high... in fact, what might be considered a "trip" on Datura might even more accurately be described as delusional hallucinations occurring while being poisoned by an anticholinergic. However, I'm more concerned about the potential negative effects upon cognition and general intelligence than the possibility for an overdose (which can be avoided by starting at a low quantity of seeds and gradually working up to the desired level).

From my readings, it seems like no-one has given much thought to the longterm effects of Datura usage. It seems to me that anything that blocks the effects of acetylcholine in such a manifest way could be doing permanent damage to your cholinergic system... a system that deals with memory, cognition, logic, and essentially what "makes" you intelligent. Considering that such nootropic drugs such as choline and lecithin raise one's levels of acetylcholine (providing more efficient transmission of signals in the brain and thereby subjectively raising one's ability to think lucidly), is it possible that Datura usage could provide the opposite effect?

From anecdotal evidence based on Erowid and other forums, a portion of users report having, among other things, permanent problems with stuttering that had not occurred before usage, feelings of decreased intelligence, and from reports about FOAFs, seemingly permanent schizophrenia and/or odd behavior patterns indicative of brain damage. Another interesting argument to consider is that one of the principal effects of Datura is to invoke a state of frank delirium... a state that statistically speaking does in fact increase the chances of inducing dementia later on in life (perhaps a sign that Datura usage gives a hammer-blow to the cholinergic system, making it more vulnerable and weakened).

Other interesting patterns can be noticed from diphenhydramine and dramamine trip reports; both of which are potent anticholinergics (although not quite as potent as the mother of them all, Datura.) The occasional trip report mentions difficulty forming sentences and inability to put clear thoughts together, lasting up till months after the experience. Now supposedly, anticholinergic poisoning can be completely reversible by administration of physostigmine--meaning that the agent competitively inhibiting the acetylcholine receptor disappears. This does NOT mean, however, that rampant use of these anticholinergic drugs will not damage one's acetylcholine receptors enough to noticeably decrease cognition and intelligence.

Am I making a mountain out of a mole-hill here, or is there in fact reason to believe that Datura or other anticholinergic drugs does in fact have the possibility to cause brain damage? Now, I'm not counting the very apparent brain damage that can result from fevers or excess body heat generated by the Datura's other anticholinergic symptoms... this can be avoided by simple precautions. I am worried about the far more subtle and (I believe) unpreventable brain damage that could result from impairment of the cholinergic system. I have not been able to find any articles or scientific research backing this up (probably because testing for minor decreases in general intelligence or cognition after Datura usage is not a highly interesting topic to the scientific community :P), asides from a few studies that point out that excessive usage of diphenhydramine in the elderly can in fact trigger dementia and progressive decline.

Your thoughts?

Reputation Comments on this post:

good question and speculation