DMT alters cortical travelling waves.
Andrea Alamia, Christopher Timmermann, David Nutt, Rufin Vanrullen, Robin Carhart-Harris
Elife October 12, 2020 DOI: 10.7554/elife.59784 (opens in new tab)
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Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Placebo-controlled crossover trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Participants receiving DMT and placebo (saline) with eyes closed |
| Intervention | N |
| Topics | DMT |
| Keywords | Psychedelics: DMT Psychedelic experiences Electrical activity Cortical travelling waves Consciousness: conscious experience Perception Brain's dynamic nature |
| Citations | 86 |
| Key findings | DMT reduced top-down alpha rhythms and increased bottom-up forward cortical travelling waves, supporting a model where psychedelics reduce the precision-weighting of priors. |
Abstract
Psychedelic drugs are potent modulators of conscious states and therefore powerful tools for investigating their neurobiology. N,N, Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) can rapidly induce an extremely immersive state of consciousness characterized by vivid and elaborate visual imagery. Here, we investigated the electrophysiological correlates of the DMT-induced altered state from a pool of participants receiving DMT and (separately) placebo (saline) while instructed to keep their eyes closed. Consistent with our hypotheses, results revealed a spatio-temporal pattern of cortical activation (i.e. travelling waves) similar to that elicited by visual stimulation. Moreover, the typical top-down alpha-band rhythms of closed-eyes rest were significantly decreased, while the bottom-up forward wave was significantly increased. These results support a recent model proposing that psychedelics reduce the 'precision-weighting of priors', thus altering the balance of top-down versus bottom-up information passing. The robust hypothesis-confirming nature of these findings imply the discovery of an important mechanistic principle underpinning psychedelic-induced altered states.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on DMT, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dose-Response Study of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine in Humans Experienced hallucinogen users | 1994 | Double-blind, saline placebo-controlled, randomized study | n = 12 |
| DMT Models the Near-Death Experience Healthy participants | 2018 | Within-subjects placebo-controlled study | n = 13 |
| Human brain effects of DMT assessed via EEG-fMRI. Healthy volunteers | 2023 | Within-subjects, placebo-controlled design | n = 20 |
| Psychological Effects of (S)-Ketamine and N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT): A Double-Blind, Cross-Over Study in Healthy Volunteers Healthy volunteers | 2005 | Double-blind crossover study | n = 9 |
| Differential tolerance to biological and subjective effects of four closely spaced doses of N,N-dimethyltryptamine in humans Experienced hallucinogen users | 1996 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 13 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 53
- The neural basis of psychedelic action. Nature Neuroscience October 24, 2022
- Human brain effects of DMT assessed via EEG-fMRI. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences March 28, 2023
- Consciousness among delta waves: a paradox? Brain March 6, 2021
- Pivotal mental states Journal of Psychopharmacology April 1, 2021
- Does Psychedelic Therapy Have a Transdiagnostic Action and Prophylactic Potential? Frontiers in Psychiatry July 19, 2021
and 48 more in the library
Cites 20
- REBUS and the Anarchic Brain: Toward a Unified Model of the Brain Action of Psychedelics Pharmacological Reviews June 20, 2019
- Mystical experiences occasioned by the hallucinogen psilocybin lead to increases in the personality domain of openness Journal of Psychopharmacology September 28, 2011
- Neural correlates of the LSD experience revealed by multimodal neuroimaging. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences April 11, 2016
- Broadband Cortical Desynchronization Underlies the Human Psychedelic State Journal of Neuroscience September 18, 2013
- The Psychedelic State Induced by Ayahuasca Modulates the Activity and Connectivity of the Default Mode Network PLoS One February 18, 2015
and 15 more in the library