This observational study (n=24) analysed mental imagery during ayahuasca use among Santo Daime church members. Results showed increased feelings of boundlessness and ego dissolution, correlating with peak DMT concentration, while mental imagery measures didn’t significantly differ. The study suggests DMT drives the primary ayahuasca experience with long-term use possibly reducing its impact on mental imagery.
Abstract of Altered State of Consciousness and Mental Imagery as a Function of DMT Concentration in Ritualistic Ayahuasca Users
“Consumption of the psychedelic brew ayahuasca is a central ritualistic aspect of the Santo Daime religion. The current observational, baseline controlled study was designed to assess whether members (n = 24) of the Santo Daime church would show enhanced capacity for mental imagery during an ayahuasca experience. In addition, this study assessed whether the effects of ayahuasca on consciousness and mental imagery were related to peak serum concentration of N, N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), the main psychoactive component. Measures of altered states of consciousness (5-Dimensional Altered States of Consciousness Questionnaire) and ego dissolution (Ego Dissolution Inventory [EDI]) as well as measures of mental imagery (visual perspective shifting, vividness of visual imagery, cognitive flexibility, associative thinking) were taken on 2 subsequent days on which members of Santo Daime were sober or drank a self-selected volume of ayahuasca. Measures of altered states of consciousness revealed that feelings of oceanic boundlessness, visual restructuralization, and EDI increased most prominently after drinking and shared a positive correlation with peak DMT concentration. Measures of mental imagery did not noticeably differ between the baseline and ayahuasca condition, although subjective ratings of cognitive flexibility were lower under ayahuasca. Two measures related to mental imagery, that is, perspective shifts and cognitive flexibility, were significantly correlated to peak DMT concentrations. Peak concentrations of DMT and other alkaloids did not correlate with ayahuasca dose. These findings confirm previous notions that the primary phenomenological characteristics of ayahuasca are driven by DMT. Compensatory or neuroadaptive effects associated with long-term ayahuasca intake may have mitigated the acute impact of ayahuasca in Santo Daime members on mental imagery.”
Authors: Jan Ramaekers, Pablo Mallaroni, Lilian Kloft, Johannes Reckweg, Stefan Toennes, Kim van Oorsouw & Natasha Mason
Summary of Abstract of Altered State of Consciousness and Mental Imagery as a Function of DMT Concentration in Ritualistic Ayahuasca Users
Ceremonial and religious use of ayahuasca has been reported to occur in several South American Indigenous cultures. It is traditionally made from Psychotria viridis leaves and the vine of Banisteriopsis caapi, which contain the serotonergic 2A receptor agonist DMT.
From the 1930s on, ayahuasca consumption expanded to syncretic religious groups such as Santo Daime, which utilized the ritual space while under the influence of ayahuasca to facilitate transcendental experiences.
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https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn_a_02003
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Cite this paper (APA)
Ramaekers, J., Mallaroni, P., Kloft, L., Reckweg, J., Toennes, S., van Oorsouw, K., & Mason, N. (2023). Altered State of Consciousness and Mental Imagery as a Function of N, N-dimethyltryptamine Concentration in Ritualistic Ayahuasca Users. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience.
Authors
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Johannes RamaekersJohannes Ramaekers is a professor at Maastricht University his work focuses on behavioral toxicology of drugs and combines methods from psychopharmacology, forensic toxicology and neuroscience to determine drug-induced changes in human performance. Some of this research is done with DMT.
Natasha Mason
Natasha Mason is interested in elucidating the neurobiological and cognitive mechanisms of (psychedelic) drugs by utilizing multimodal study designs, with a particular focus on substances that may hold therapeutic value.
Institutes
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Maastricht UniversityMaastricht University is host to the psychopharmacology department (Psychopharmacology in Maastricht) where various researchers are investigating the effects of psychedelics.