Depressive DisordersHealthy VolunteersInterpersonal Functioning & Social ConnectednessAyahuasca

Assessing the psychedelic “after-glow” in ayahuasca users: post-acute neurometabolic and functional connectivity changes are associated with enhanced mindfulness capacities

This open-label study (n=16) investigated neurometabolic and connectivity modifications after a single ayahuasca use and their association with mindfulness measures. The results support the involvement of glutamate neurotransmission in the effects of ayahuasca. Furthermore, changes in the posterior cingulate cortex (default network) and connection of the posterior cingulate cortex and the medial temporal lobe (emotion & memory) may contribute to the effects of ayahuasca.

Authors

  • Jordi Riba
  • Jamie Hallak
  • Amanda Feilding

Published

International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
individual Study

Abstract

Background

Ayahuasca is a plant tea containing the psychedelic 5-HT2A agonist N,N-dimethyltryptamine and harmala monoamine-oxidase inhibitors. Acute administration leads to neurophysiological modifications in brain regions of the default mode network, purportedly through a glutamatergic mechanism. Post-acutely, ayahuasca potentiates mindfulness capacities in volunteers and induces rapid and sustained antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant patients. However, the mechanisms underlying these fast and maintained effects are poorly understood. Here, we investigated in an open-label uncontrolled study in 16 healthy volunteers ayahuasca-induced post-acute neurometabolic and connectivity modifications and their association with mindfulness measures.

Methods

Using 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy and functional connectivity, we compared baseline and post-acute neurometabolites and seed-to-voxel connectivity in the posterior and anterior cingulate cortex after a single ayahuasca dose.

Results

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed post-acute reductions in glutamate+glutamine, creatine, and N-acetylaspartate+N-acetylaspartylglutamate in the posterior cingulate cortex. Connectivity was increased between the posterior cingulate cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex, and between the anterior cingulate cortex and limbic structures in the right medial temporal lobe. Glutamate+glutamine reductions correlated with increases in the “nonjudging” subscale of the Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire. Increased anterior cingulate cortex-medial temporal lobe connectivity correlated with increased scores on the self-compassion questionnaire. Post-acute neural changes predicted sustained elevations in nonjudging 2 months later.

Conclusions

These results support the involvement of glutamate neurotransmission in the effects of psychedelics in humans. They further suggest that neurometabolic changes in the posterior cingulate cortex, a key region within the default mode network, and increased connectivity between the anterior cingulate cortex and medial temporal lobe structures involved in emotion and memory potentially underlie the post-acute psychological effects of ayahuasca.

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Research Summary of 'Assessing the psychedelic “after-glow” in ayahuasca users: post-acute neurometabolic and functional connectivity changes are associated with enhanced mindfulness capacities'

Introduction

Psychedelics have regained research interest for their potential therapeutic effects in psychiatry. Ayahuasca is an Amazonian brew combining DMT, a 5-HT2A agonist, with β-carbolines that inhibit monoamine oxidase and enable oral activity of DMT. Acute ayahuasca administration produces intense introspective states and measurable neurophysiological changes in nodes of the default mode network (DMN), particularly the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), while radiotracer studies point to increased activity in limbic and cingulate regions involved in emotion and memory. Previous clinical reports have also documented rapid and sustained antidepressant effects and post-acute increases in mindfulness-related capacities after single doses, but the neural mechanisms that might underlie these sustained or "after-glow" effects remain unclear. Sampedro and colleagues set out to characterise post-acute (within 24 hours) neurometabolic and resting-state functional connectivity changes after a single ayahuasca session in healthy volunteers, and to test whether those neural changes relate to enhancements in mindfulness capacities measured immediately and at a 2-month follow-up. They focused on the PCC and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) as a priori regions of interest and hypothesised: (1) post-acute decreases in Glx (combined glutamate plus glutamine) and energy metabolites in PCC and ACC reflecting prior excitatory effects; (2) reduced PCC–ACC anticorrelation (increased coupling) paralleling neurometabolic changes; and (3) correlations between neural changes and increases in mindfulness measures both post-acutely and at follow-up. The study is an open-label, within-subject pre/post assessment in experienced ayahuasca users.

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Study Details

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