Is it time to revisit the role of psychedelic drugs in enhancing human creativity?

Creativity is an important but hard-to-define cognitive process that presents a challenge for modern neuroscience, especially given the interest in cognitive enhancers. The traits of creative people resemble the psychological effects of psychedelic drugs, a phenomenon studied in small, anecdotal 1960s trials with inconclusive results. The current renaissance in psychedelic research and cognitive enhancement warrants revisiting these studies with contemporary methods.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Human creativity is difficult to define and measure, but it is undoubtedly an important cognitive process. This makes it an interesting challenge for modern neuroscientific exploration - especially given the current interest in developing cognitive enhancers for commercial and clinical uses. There are similarities between the typical traits of creative people and the subjective psychological characteristics of the psychedelic (hallucinogenic) drug experience. This phenomenon was studied in a number of small trials and case studies in the 1960s. Results were inconclusive, and the quality of these studies - by modern research standards - was merely anecdotal. Nevertheless, with today's current renaissance in psychedelic drug research and the growing interest in cognitive enhancing drugs, now may be the time to re-visit these studies with contemporary research methods.