J Psychopharmacol
February 10, 2021
Carla Pallavicini, Federico Cavanna, Federico Zamberlán et al.
73 citations
Inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in natural settings reduces alpha brainwave power (8-12 Hz) across the scalp while increasing delta (1-4 Hz) and gamma (30-40 Hz) power. Gamma power increases correlate with reports of mystical-type experiences. DMT also raises global synchrony and metastability in the gamma band and lowers them in the alpha band. These findings align with prior lab-based psychedelic research and suggest EEG markers for mystical experiences in real-world contexts, underscoring the value of studying psychedelics in natural settings.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
November 5, 2021
Enzo Tagliazucchi, Federico Zamberlán, Federico Cavanna et al.
23 citations
Inhaled DMT, a classic psychedelic, produces short but profound shifts in consciousness. In 35 healthy volunteers, electroencephalography recorded before and during the drug's acute effects in a natural setting showed marked reductions in alpha and beta brain oscillations and increases in delta, theta, and gamma power, particularly in posterior regions. The power of fronto-temporal theta oscillations inversely correlated with feelings of unity and transcendence—core features of mystical-type experiences. These findings suggest that baseline brain activity prior to psychedelic use may help predict the likelihood of such experiences, which are linked to lasting well-being and improved therapeutic outcomes.
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
August 20, 2020
Carla Pallavicini, Federico Cavanna, Federico Zamberlán et al.
17 citations
preprint
Inhaled DMT, a short-acting psychedelic found in plants and animals, was studied in 35 experienced participants in natural settings using wireless EEG and questionnaires. DMT reduced alpha brain waves (8-12 Hz) across the scalp while increasing delta (1-4 Hz) and gamma (30-40 Hz) waves. Increases in gamma power correlated with reports of mystical-type experiences. DMT also altered global synchrony and metastability in gamma and alpha bands and increased signal complexity. These findings align with prior psychedelic research and suggest EEG markers for mystical experiences in natural contexts, underscoring the value of studying these compounds in real-world settings.
bioRxiv Preprint Server
March 11, 2021
Enzo Tagliazucchi, Federico Zamberlán, Federico Cavanna et al.
3 citations
preprint
Inhaled DMT, a classic psychedelic, produces brief but profound changes in consciousness that vary with context. Using wireless EEG and source imaging, researchers mapped changes in neural oscillations. Frontal and temporal theta power inversely correlated with feelings of unity and transcendence—hallmarks of mystical-type experiences. A machine learning model confirmed the robustness of these results. The findings align with the idea that pre-drug mindset influences subjective experience. Priming individuals to lower theta power before taking a serotonergic psychedelic might increase the likelihood of mystical-type experiences, potentially enhancing well-being and therapeutic outcomes.