“Ayahuasca turned on my mind’s eye”: Enhanced visual imagery after ayahuasca intake in a man with “blind imagination” (aphantasia)
Journal of Psychedelic Studies July 25, 2018 Rafael G. Dos Santos, Scotty Enyart, José Carlos Bouso et al. 18 citations
A man who had long experienced aphantasia (the inability to form voluntary mental images) reported modest but sustained improvements in his visual imagery after a single dose of ayahuasca, a botanical hallucinogen rich in DMT. The improvements were attributed to possible biological and psychological processes, including stimulation of cortical 5-HT2A receptors, increased activity in the visual cortex, and resolution of psychological trauma from a difficult relationship with his father. The case suggests that 5-HT2A agonists like ayahuasca may offer a path to explore treatments for aphantasia, though further trials are needed.