With the goal of inducing lifelong changes in humans, Cameron used different methods of depatterning and repatterning the brain. The procedures included psychic driving, drug-induced sleep, intensive electroconvulsive therapy, sensory deprivation and the administration of neuroleptic Thorazine. Drug-Induced Sleep Cameron used doses of thorazine to put patients into an artificial coma. The drug-induced sleep, which took place in the “sleep room”, usually lasted from a few days up to 86 days; longer than expected by the patients. Cameron often combined the sleep periods with injections of hallucinogenic drugs (e.g. LSD), as well as administration of electroshocks and the playing of pre-recorded messages into patients' ears. Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) Electroconvulsive Therapy Electroconvulsive Therapy (also called electroshock therapy) is a procedure used to treat psychological disorders like Treatment-resistant depression. Another way of depatterning the brain was intensive electroconvulsive therapy (electroshock therapy). Usually, 2 to 3 daily sessions were ordered, consisting of six 150-Volt shocks that lasted one second. After 30-40 daily sessions, Cameron progressively reduced the sessions and finished the treatment after a two-year follow up program with one session per month. Sensory Deprivation Inspired by Donald Hebb's<unk> on sensory deprivation and human cognition, Cameron included these techniques in his treatment program. Patients were deprived of their senses by covering ears, eyes and/or skin. Furthermore, patients were given little food, water and oxygen, and instead injected with drugs (LSD, curare) to keep them in a paralyzed state. Psychic Driving In order to repattern the brain, patients had to listen to specific recordings of Cameron repeatedly. This process took place for up to 16 hours a day, and over the whole period messages could be repeated up to half a million times altogether. For the first ten days, recordings contained personal, negative messages, which were followed by ten days of positive messages. Anxiety that would emerge in patients was countered with heavy doses of sedating drugs such as Sodium Amytal and Largactil.
Montreal experiments
Terre Haute prison experiments
Platform trial
Outline of clinical research
Blue boy trial
QUOROM flow chart
Biomedical model
Glossary of clinical research