EEG Gamma Band Alterations and REM-like Traits Underpin the Acute Effect of the Atypical Psychedelic Ibogaine in the Rat.
Joaquín González, Matías Cavelli, Santiago Castro-Zaballa, Alejandra Mondino, Adriano B. L. Tort, Nicolás Rubido, Ignacio Carrera, Pablo Torterolo
ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science April 9, 2021 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.0c00164 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Rats |
| Intervention | Ibogaine |
| Topics | Ibogaine |
| Keywords | Anti-addictive potential Waking dream Dream-like effects Vivid effects Natural rem sleep Brain activity Brainwave patterns Gamma brainwave power Reduced coherence Complexity Electrical signals Intracranial electroencephalogram EEG Biological evidence Psychedelic experience Dream-like experiences Ibogaine effects |
| Citations | 26 |
| Key findings | Ibogaine induces gamma oscillations during wakefulness that, despite higher power, are less coherent and less complex, similar to natural REM sleep. |
Abstract
Ibogaine is a psychedelic alkaloid that has attracted large scientific interest because of its antiaddictive properties in observational studies in humans as well as in animal models. Its subjective effect has been described as intense, vivid dream-like experiences occurring while awake; hence, ibogaine is often referred to as an oneirogenic psychedelic. While this unique dream-like profile has been hypothesized to aid the antiaddictive effects, the electrophysiological signatures of this psychedelic state remain unknown. We previously showed in rats that ibogaine promotes a waking state with abnormal motor behavior along with a decrease in NREM and REM sleep. Here, we performed an in-depth analysis of the intracranial electroencephalogram during "ibogaine wakefulness". We found that ibogaine induces gamma oscillations that, despite having larger power than control levels, are less coherent and less complex. Further analysis revealed that this profile of gamma activity compares to that of natural REM sleep. Thus, our results provide novel biological evidence for the association between the psychedelic state and REM sleep, contributing to the understanding of the brain mechanisms associated with the oneirogenic psychedelic effect of ibogaine.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on ibogaine, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noncompetitive Functional Inhibition at Diverse, Human Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Subtypes by Bupropion, Phencyclidine, and Ibogaine TE671/RD cells (human muscle-type nAChR) and SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells (human... | 1999 | In vitro study | |
| Degeneration of Purkinje cells in parasagittal zones of the cerebellar vermis after treatment with ibogaine or harmaline. Ibogaine- or harmaline-treated rats | 1993 | Experimental animal study | |
| Effects and aftereffects of ibogaine on morphine self-administration in rats. Rats | 1991 | Preclinical experimental study | |
| Effects of iboga alkaloids on morphine and cocaine self-administration in rats: relationship to tremorigenic effects and to effects on dopamine release in nucleus accumbens and striatum. Rats | 1994 | Experimental study | |
| Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Mediates the Desirable Actions of the Anti-Addiction Drug Ibogaine against Alcohol Consumption Rats | 2005 | Experimental study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 15
- Magnesium-ibogaine therapy in veterans with traumatic brain injuries. Nature Medicine February 1, 2024
- Neural mechanisms underlying psilocybin’s therapeutic potential – the need for preclinical in vivo electrophysiology Journal of Psychopharmacology May 30, 2022
- IUPHAR - invited review - Ibogaine - A legacy within the current renaissance of psychedelic therapy. Pharmacological Research April 1, 2023
- Main targets of ibogaine and noribogaine associated with its putative anti-addictive effects: A mechanistic overview. Journal of Psychopharmacology December 1, 2023
- Efficient Access to the Iboga Skeleton: Optimized Procedure to Obtain Voacangine from Voacanga africana Root Bark. ACS Omega July 6, 2021
and 10 more in the library
Cites 40
- The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2014
- Neural correlates of the LSD experience revealed by multimodal neuroimaging. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences April 11, 2016
- Neural correlates of the DMT experience assessed with multivariate EEG. Scientific Reports November 19, 2019
- Serotonin transporter-ibogaine complexes illuminate mechanisms of inhibition and transport. Nature May 1, 2019
- Effects and aftereffects of ibogaine on morphine self-administration in rats. European Journal of Pharmacology April 3, 1991
and 35 more in the library