In regards to the process of inserting wire electrodes deep within the brain:

Remarkably, in the 1950s and 60s, under the pretence of research on psychosis, such procedures were carried out in human subjects who were administered hallucinogenic drugs such as mescaline and LSD. Despite the ethically questionable nature of these experiments, they did reveal some interesting clues about the neurobiology of the hallucinatory state. Specifically, phasic discharges in medial temporal lobe (MTL) circuitry (i.e. the hippocampus, amygdala and septal nuclei) appeared in recordings during periods of marked hallucinosis, while the more familiar cortical desynchrony associated with hallucinogens was also present (Monroe & Heath, 1961; Schwarz et al., 1956).

I know it is off topic, but reading this, and other things like it make me wonder what horrible shit is currently happening in the name of research/knowledge that we are unaware of?

Yesterday somebody was telling me about how they've done research on babies as to the result of someone looking directly in to their eyes, expressionless while the baby cries. -I've not doubt that it can provide some amazing insight, but what about the impact?

Anyways, theadvancedapes, you might enjoy this read about how hallucinogens work on the brain.