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Meditating on psychedelics. A randomized placebo-controlled study of DMT and harmine in a mindfulness retreat

Daniel Meling, Klemens Egger, Jovin Mueller, Joëlle Dornbierer, Elijah Temperli, Emilia A Vasella, Luzia Caflisch, Jonas Tt Schlomberg, John W Smallridge, Milan Scheidegger, Helena Aicher, Javier Jareño Redondo, D. Pfeiffer, Dario Dornbierer

Journal of Psychopharmacology September 27, 2024 DOI: 10.1177/02698811241282637 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Randomized controlled trial Placebo-controlled Double-blind Peer reviewed
Sample size 40
Population Experienced meditators
Intervention DMT-harmine
Duration 3-day meditation retreat, with follow-up at 1 month
Topics Ayahuasca Meditation Psilocybin DMT
Keywords Harmine Placebo Hallucinogen Clinical psychology
Citations 15
Registration NCT05780216
Key findings DMT-harmine, compared to placebo, enhanced mystical-type experiences, non-dual awareness, emotional breakthrough, and psychological insight during a meditation retreat, but did not significantly affect mindfulness or compassion.

Abstract

Background: In recent years, both meditation and psychedelics have attracted rapidly increasing scientific interest. While the current state of evidence suggests the promising potential of psychedelics, such as psilocybin, to enhance meditative training, it remains equivocal whether these effects are specifically bound to psilocybin or if other classical psychedelics might show synergistic effects with meditation practice. One particularly promising candidate is N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), an active ingredient of ayahuasca.

Aim: This study aims to investigate the effect of the psychedelic substance DMT, combined with the monoamine oxidase inhibitor harmine ( DMT-harmine), on meditative states, compared to meditation with a placebo.

Method: Forty experienced meditators (18 females and 22 males) participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study over a 3-day meditation retreat, receiving either placebo or DMT-harmine. Participants’ levels of mindfulness, compassion, insight, and transcendence were assessed before, during, and after the meditation group retreat, using psychometric questionnaires.

Results: Compared to meditation with a placebo, meditators who received DMT and harmine self-attributed greater levels of mystical-type experiences, non-dual awareness, and emotional breakthrough during the acute substance effects and, when corrected for baseline differences, greater psychological insight 1 day later. Mindfulness and compassion were not significantly different in the DMT-harmine group compared to placebo. At 1-month follow-up, the meditators who received DMT and harmine rated their experience as significantly more personally meaningful, spiritually significant, and well-being-enhancing than the meditators who received placebo.

Conclusion: Investigating the impact of DMT-harmine on meditators in a naturalistic mindfulness group retreat, this placebo-controlled study highlights the specific effects of psychedelics during meditation.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT05780216.

Comparable studies

Other randomized controlled trials on psilocybin and meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Psilocybin-occasioned mystical-type experience in combination with meditation and other spiritual practices produces enduring positive changes in psychological functioning and in trait measures of prosocial attitudes and behaviors Healthy participants 2017 Randomized controlled trial n = 75
Psilocybin-assisted mindfulness training modulates self-consciousness and brain default mode network connectivity with lasting effects. Participants following a single administration of psilocybin during a 5-day mindfulness... 2019 Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study n = 38
Characterization and prediction of acute and sustained response to psychedelic psilocybin in a mindfulness group retreat. Meditators participating in a 5-day mindfulness group retreat 2019 Randomized controlled trial n = 39
Clinical Interpretations of Patient Experience in a Trial of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy for Alcohol Use Disorder Participants in an ongoing trial of psilocybin-assisted treatment for alcohol use disorder 2018 Double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial n = 3
Psilocybin enhances insightfulness in meditation: a perspective on the global topology of brain imaging during meditation. Experienced meditators 2024 Randomized controlled trial n = 36

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Ayahuasca Meditation Psilocybin DMT 5-MeO-DMT Mystical experience Mysticism

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