Gamma band alterations and REM-like traits underpin the acute effect of the atypical psychedelic ibogaine
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) June 29, 2020 Joaquín González, Matías Cavelli, Santiago Castro‐zaballa et al. 5 citations preprint
Ibogaine, a psychedelic alkaloid with anti-addictive properties, produces a waking state that shares brain-wave traits with REM sleep. In rats, ibogaine increased gamma oscillation power in the brain but made those oscillations less coherent and less complex than normal waking levels. This pattern mirrors REM sleep features within the gamma frequency band, providing biological evidence for the long-standing hypothesis that ibogaine induces a dream-like state while awake—a phenomenon called oneirogenesis. The findings offer an empirical basis for understanding how ibogaine's unique subjective effects may contribute to its anti-addictive potential.