Baseline Power of Theta Oscillations Predicts Mystical-Type Experiences Induced by DMT in a Natural Setting

N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a classic psychedelic capable of inducing short-lasting but profound changes in consciousness. As with other psychedelics, the experience induced by DMT strongly depends upon contextual factors, yet the neurobiological determinants of this variability remain unknown....

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Autores principales: Enzo Tagliazucchi, Federico Zamberlan, Federico Cavanna, Laura de la Fuente, Celeste Romero, Yonatan Sanz Perl, Carla Pallavicini
Formato: article
Lenguaje:EN
Publicado: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021
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DMT
EEG
Acceso en línea:https://doaj.org/article/c4a585e5568c4455b6784fe99a2bf1be
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spelling oai:doaj.org-article:c4a585e5568c4455b6784fe99a2bf1be2021-11-05T09:04:06ZBaseline Power of Theta Oscillations Predicts Mystical-Type Experiences Induced by DMT in a Natural Setting1664-064010.3389/fpsyt.2021.720066https://doaj.org/article/c4a585e5568c4455b6784fe99a2bf1be2021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.720066/fullhttps://doaj.org/toc/1664-0640N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a classic psychedelic capable of inducing short-lasting but profound changes in consciousness. As with other psychedelics, the experience induced by DMT strongly depends upon contextual factors, yet the neurobiological determinants of this variability remain unknown. The present study investigated changes in neural oscillations elicited by inhaled DMT, and whether baseline electroencephalography (EEG) recordings could predict the subjective effects reported by the participants. Healthy volunteers (N = 35) were measured with EEG before and during the acute effects of DMT consumed in a natural setting. Source-localized neural oscillations were correlated with the results of multiple questionnaires employed to assess the subjective effects of the drug. DMT resulted in a marked reduction of alpha and beta oscillations, and increased posterior spectral power in the delta, theta and gamma bands. The power of fronto-temporal theta oscillations was inversely correlated with scales indexing feelings of unity and transcendence, which are an integral part of the phenomenology of mystical-type experiences. The robustness of these results was supported using a machine learning model for regression trained and tested following a cross-validation procedure. These results are consistent with the observation that the state of mind prior to consuming a psychedelic drug influences the ensuing subjective experience of the user. They also suggest that baseline EEG screenings before administration of a serotonergic psychedelic could be useful to estimate the likelihood of inducing mystical-type experiences, previously linked to sustained positive effects in well-being and improved outcome of therapeutic interventions.Enzo TagliazucchiEnzo TagliazucchiFederico ZamberlanFederico CavannaFederico CavannaLaura de la FuenteCeleste RomeroYonatan Sanz PerlYonatan Sanz PerlCarla PallaviciniCarla PallaviciniFrontiers Media S.A.articlepsychedelicsDMTEEGneural oscillationsmystical-type experiencesPsychiatryRC435-571ENFrontiers in Psychiatry, Vol 12 (2021)
institution DOAJ
collection DOAJ
language EN
topic psychedelics
DMT
EEG
neural oscillations
mystical-type experiences
Psychiatry
RC435-571
spellingShingle psychedelics
DMT
EEG
neural oscillations
mystical-type experiences
Psychiatry
RC435-571
Enzo Tagliazucchi
Enzo Tagliazucchi
Federico Zamberlan
Federico Cavanna
Federico Cavanna
Laura de la Fuente
Celeste Romero
Yonatan Sanz Perl
Yonatan Sanz Perl
Carla Pallavicini
Carla Pallavicini
Baseline Power of Theta Oscillations Predicts Mystical-Type Experiences Induced by DMT in a Natural Setting
description N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a classic psychedelic capable of inducing short-lasting but profound changes in consciousness. As with other psychedelics, the experience induced by DMT strongly depends upon contextual factors, yet the neurobiological determinants of this variability remain unknown. The present study investigated changes in neural oscillations elicited by inhaled DMT, and whether baseline electroencephalography (EEG) recordings could predict the subjective effects reported by the participants. Healthy volunteers (N = 35) were measured with EEG before and during the acute effects of DMT consumed in a natural setting. Source-localized neural oscillations were correlated with the results of multiple questionnaires employed to assess the subjective effects of the drug. DMT resulted in a marked reduction of alpha and beta oscillations, and increased posterior spectral power in the delta, theta and gamma bands. The power of fronto-temporal theta oscillations was inversely correlated with scales indexing feelings of unity and transcendence, which are an integral part of the phenomenology of mystical-type experiences. The robustness of these results was supported using a machine learning model for regression trained and tested following a cross-validation procedure. These results are consistent with the observation that the state of mind prior to consuming a psychedelic drug influences the ensuing subjective experience of the user. They also suggest that baseline EEG screenings before administration of a serotonergic psychedelic could be useful to estimate the likelihood of inducing mystical-type experiences, previously linked to sustained positive effects in well-being and improved outcome of therapeutic interventions.
format article
author Enzo Tagliazucchi
Enzo Tagliazucchi
Federico Zamberlan
Federico Cavanna
Federico Cavanna
Laura de la Fuente
Celeste Romero
Yonatan Sanz Perl
Yonatan Sanz Perl
Carla Pallavicini
Carla Pallavicini
author_facet Enzo Tagliazucchi
Enzo Tagliazucchi
Federico Zamberlan
Federico Cavanna
Federico Cavanna
Laura de la Fuente
Celeste Romero
Yonatan Sanz Perl
Yonatan Sanz Perl
Carla Pallavicini
Carla Pallavicini
author_sort Enzo Tagliazucchi
title Baseline Power of Theta Oscillations Predicts Mystical-Type Experiences Induced by DMT in a Natural Setting
title_short Baseline Power of Theta Oscillations Predicts Mystical-Type Experiences Induced by DMT in a Natural Setting
title_full Baseline Power of Theta Oscillations Predicts Mystical-Type Experiences Induced by DMT in a Natural Setting
title_fullStr Baseline Power of Theta Oscillations Predicts Mystical-Type Experiences Induced by DMT in a Natural Setting
title_full_unstemmed Baseline Power of Theta Oscillations Predicts Mystical-Type Experiences Induced by DMT in a Natural Setting
title_sort baseline power of theta oscillations predicts mystical-type experiences induced by dmt in a natural setting
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
publishDate 2021
url https://doaj.org/article/c4a585e5568c4455b6784fe99a2bf1be
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