The Use, Role, and Function of Music During Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT) with Ayahuasca: A Scoping Review Protocol
Guillermo Escobar-Cornejo, Fernando P. Cárdenas, Diego Torres, Mario Valderrama, Mark Ettenberger
Psychoactives June 25, 2025 DOI: 10.3390/psychoactives4020009 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Scoping review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Ayahuasca Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | DMT Dimethyltryptamine Psychedelic-assisted therapy pat Yagé Therapeutic music Sound therapy Psychedelic music Music therapy Ayahuasca studies Psychedelic research Ethnobotany Traditional medicine research Psychedelic studies Psychedelic medicine Psychedelic treatment Psychedelic healing |
| Key findings | Music is deemed crucial during ayahuasca experiences but lacks systematization and is poorly explored in the scientific literature regarding its use in psychedelic-assisted therapy. |
Abstract
Objective: To provide a state of the art on the use, role, and function of music during psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) with ayahuasca.
Introduction: Ayahuasca is a medicinal brew with psychoactive qualities used by indigenous communities throughout the Amazon region, and music is deemed crucial during ayahuasca experiences. In PAT, music forms part of the set and setting, but it lacks systematization and is poorly explored in the scientific literature. Inclusion criteria: Published literature in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, focusing on conceptualizing, defining, or describing the use, role, and/or function of music in PAT sessions with ayahuasca.
Methods: This review follows the JBI methodology for scoping reviews. We will search Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and PubMed databases without year restrictions, and a hand search of articles will be performed. Two reviewers will assess titles/abstracts, followed by independent reviews of included full texts. An Excel data extraction sheet will be used to tabulate the information. The findings will be presented narratively, including respective tables or figures. If feasible, a potential theoretical framework for the use, role, and function of music during PAT with ayahuasca will be outlined, including implications for future research and clinical practice.