Trance and Shamanic Cure on the South American Continent: Psychopharmacological and Neurobiological Interpretations
Francois Blanc
Anthropology of Consciousness March 1, 2010 DOI: 10.1111/j.1556-3537.2010.01022.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Shamanism |
| Key points | Argues that shamanic practices in the Andes and Brazil exert healing effects by modulating brain neurotransmitter systems, and that shamanic trance involves neurophysiological changes similar to those seen in hypnotic trance, potentially correcting neurobiological dysfunctions. |
Abstract
ABSTRACTThis article examines the neurobiological basis of the healing power attributed to shamanic practices in the Andes and Brazil in light of the pharmacology of neurotransmitters and the new technological explorations of brain functioning. The psychotropic plants used in shamanic psychiatric cures interfere selectively with the intrinsic neuromediators of the brain. Mainly they may alter: (1) the neuroendocrine functioning through the adrenergic system by controlling stressful conditions, (2) the dopaminergic system in incentive learning and emotions incorporation, (3) the serotoninergic system in modulating behaviors, and mood, and (4) basic functions implied in anxiety or depression. PET scans and functional magnetic resonance imaging studies of hypnotic trance and altered states of consciousness may provide a useful model for the neurophysiological phenomena of shamanic drum‐and‐dance trance. The reorganization of cortical areas and the direct interconnections between the prefrontal cortex and the dopaminergic reward centers in the limbic system are of particular significance for human social judgment and symbolic processing. Those centers—including the hypothalamus and the amygdala (associated with psychosomatic equilibrium, memory, and emotion) are enhanced. This arousal may be amplified in order to induce a cathartic crisis—the shamanic trance. It is suggested that through this holistic approach the shaman empirically interferes in neurobiological dysfunctions.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon and Beyond | 2014 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Shamanism as the Original Neurotheology | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Cognitive Neuroscience, Shamanism and the Rock Art of Native California | 1998 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From Culture to Experience: Shamanism in the Pages of the Soviet Anti-Religious Press | 2020 | Historical analysis | |
| Anthropology, Shamanism, and Alternate Ways of Knowing–Being in the World: One Anthropologist's Journey of Discovery and Transformation | 2010 | Reflective essay or personal narrative |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Conceptual Systems Theory: A Neglected Perspective for the Anthropology of Consciousness Anthropology of Consciousness March 1, 2017
- Scoping review on shamanistic trances practices. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies November 4, 2024
- From “mind–matter” duality to “body–situation” mechanism —the phenomenology of the body on how shaman soul retrieval heals the sick Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine October 6, 2025
- The impact of musical structure on enjoyment and absorptive listening states in trance music Music and Consciousness 2 April 11, 2019
- Healing Through States of Consciousness: Animal Sacrifice and Christian Prayer Among the Kachin in Southwest China. Medical Anthropology 2016
Cites 8
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- Psychointegrators: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on the Therapeutic Effects of Hallucinogens Complementary health practice review July 1, 2001
- Ayahuasca : une synthèse interdisciplinaire Psychotropes 2002
- Pain response in depersonalization: a functional imaging study using hypnosis in healthy subjects. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2007
and 3 more in the library