Ayahuasca’s ‘afterglow’: improved mindfulness and cognitive flexibility in ayahuasca drinkers

Murphy-Beiner, Ashleigh; Soar, Kirstie

doi:10.1007/s00213-019-05445-3

Cited by 87 publications

(91 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…As we only see a significant change in ECN connectivity at one-week and not at three-months, this may reflect an “afterglow” phenomenon as has been described previously (Majić et al, 2015; Murphy-Beiner and Soar, 2020). Despite the lack of long-term effects, the association between the one-week effect and long-term measures of wellbeing suggests a role for this period in mediating long-term effects on well-being, the neural correlates of which were not detected in this study.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 76%

Lasting effects of a single psilocybin dose on resting-state functional connectivity in healthy individuals

McCulloch

Madsen

Stenbæk

et al. 2021

Preprint

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BackgroundPsilocybin is a psychedelic drug that has shown lasting positive effects on clinical symptoms and self-reported well-being following a single dose. There has been little research into the long-term effects of psilocybin on brain connectivity in humans.AimsEvaluate changes in resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) at one-week and three-months after one psilocybin dose in 10 healthy psychedelic-naïve volunteers and explore associations between change in RSFC and related measures.MethodsParticipants received 0.2-0.3 mg/kg psilocybin in a controlled setting. Participants completed resting-state fMRI scans at baseline, one-week and three-months post-administration and [11C]Cimbi-36 PET scans at baseline and one-week. We examined changes in within-network, between-network and region-to-region RSFC. We explored associations between changes in RSFC and psilocybin-induced phenomenology as well as changes in psychological measures and neocortex serotonin 2A receptor binding.ResultsPsilocybin was well tolerated and produced positive changes in well-being. At one-week only, executive control network (ECN) RSFC was significantly decreased (Cohen’s d=-1.73, pFWE=0.010). We observed no other significant changes in RSFC at one-week or three-months, nor changes in region-to-region RSFC. Exploratory analyses indicated that decreased ECN RSFC at one-week predicted increased mindfulness at three-months (r =-0.65).ConclusionsThese findings in a small cohort indicate that psilocybin affects ECN function within the psychedelic “afterglow” period. Our findings implicate ECN modulation as mediating psilocybin-induced, long-lasting increases in mindfulness. Although our findings implicate a neural pathway mediating lasting psilocybin effects, it is notable that changes in neuroimaging measures at three-months, when personality changes are observed, remain to be identified.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 76%

Lasting effects of a single psilocybin dose on resting-state functional connectivity in healthy individuals

McCulloch

Madsen

Stenbæk

et al. 2021

Preprint

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“…While the acute transcendent experience occasioned by classic psychedelics may presumably induce long-term changes in health behaviour that contribute to better physical health, it is plausible that there are other key mechanisms through which classic psychedelics could influence physical health, including improvements on various indices of mental health beyond the simple absence of psychological distress (e.g. increased prosociality, trait mindfulness and purpose in life; Griffiths et al, 2018; Murphy-Beiner and Soar, 2020), many of which are well-known risk factors for physical maladies (Chaddha et al, 2016; Germann, 2020; Hernandez et al, 2018); immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects of relevance to physical health (Flanagan and Nichols, 2018; Frecska et al, 2013, 2016; Szabo, 2015, 2019; Szabo et al, 2014; Thompson and Szabo, 2020; Tourino et al, 2013; Winkelman and Sessa, 2019); and high affinity to receptor subtypes (e.g. serotonin 2A receptors) that are implicated in the pathophysiology of different physical disorders (Nichols, 2009; Thompson and Szabo, 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations between lifetime classic psychedelic use and markers of physical health

2021

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Background: In recent years, there has been significant research on the mental health effects of classic psychedelic use, but there is very little evidence on how classic psychedelics might influence physical health. Aims: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the associations between lifetime classic psychedelic use and markers of physical health. Methods: Using data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2015-2018) with 171,766 (unweighted) adults aged 18 or above in the United States, the current study examined the associations between lifetime classic psychedelic use and three markers of physical health (self-reported overall health, body mass index, and heart condition and/or cancer in the past 12 months) while controlling for a range of covariates. Results: Respondents who reported having tried a classic psychedelic at least once in their lifetime had significantly higher odds of greater self-reported overall health and significantly lower odds of being overweight or obese versus having a normal weight. The association between lifetime classic psychedelic use and having a heart condition and/or cancer in the past 12 months approached conventional levels of significance, with lower odds of having a heart condition and/or cancer in the past 12 months for respondents who had tried a classic psychedelic at least once. Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that classic psychedelics may be beneficial to physical health. Future research should investigate the causal effects of classic psychedelics on physical health and evaluate possible mechanisms.

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“…It seems plausible that a cortical abnormality mediated by increased 5-HT2AR signaling and related glutamatergic activity (Aghajanian and Marek, 2000; Moreno and González-Maeso, 2018) and featuring abnormal plasticity (Kavanagh et al, 2015; Stephan et al, 2009) and associative learning – as mediators of major psychological change – is an important early component of the psychotic process in schizophrenia; whereas 5-HT2AR-mediated dysregulation of dopamine activity is a consequential, and perhaps defining component, namely ‘the final common pathway’ (Howes and Kapur, 2009; Pehek et al, 2006; Pehek and Hernan, 2015; Stahl, 2018). If we allow ourselves to be instructed on the pharmacology of the psychotic process via its phenomenology, then an initial state characterized by ego-disturbance and cognitive and perceptual disturbance preceding subsequent inflexible or perseverative cognitive and behavioural styles (Boulougouris et al, 2008; King et al, 1974; Murphy-Beiner and Soar, 2020) might fit with an initial serotonergic (5-HT2AR) component (although see Boulougouris et al, 2008), followed by a final pathway that is dominated by a hyperactive mesolimbic dopamine system (Stahl, 2018). However, converging evidence also suggests that upregulation (Chiu et al, 2014; Hámor et al, 2018; Napier and Istre, 2008), sensitization (Chiu et al, 2014; Hámor et al, 2018; Napier and Istre, 2008), and direct agonism (Soman et al, 2019) of 5-HT2AR contributes to dopamine-induced psychoses (Cummings et al, 2014; Meltzer et al, 2010).…”

Section: Psychedelics Pivotal Mental States and The 5-ht2armentioning

confidence: 99%

Pivotal mental states

2020

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This paper introduces a new construct, the ‘pivotal mental state’, which is defined as a hyper-plastic state aiding rapid and deep learning that can mediate psychological transformation. We believe this new construct bears relevance to a broad range of psychological and psychiatric phenomena. We argue that pivotal mental states serve an important evolutionary function, that is, to aid psychological transformation when actual or perceived environmental pressures demand this. We cite evidence that chronic stress and neurotic traits are primers for a pivotal mental state, whereas acute stress can be a trigger. Inspired by research with serotonin 2A receptor agonist psychedelics, we highlight how activity at this particular receptor can robustly and reliably induce pivotal mental states, but we argue that the capacity for pivotal mental states is an inherent property of the human brain itself. Moreover, we hypothesize that serotonergic psychedelics hijack a system that has evolved to mediate rapid and deep learning when its need is sensed. We cite a breadth of evidences linking stress via a variety of inducers, with an upregulated serotonin 2A receptor system (e.g. upregulated availability of and/or binding to the receptor) and acute stress with 5-HT release, which we argue can activate this primed system to induce a pivotal mental state. The pivotal mental state model is multi-level, linking a specific molecular gateway (increased serotonin 2A receptor signaling) with the inception of a hyper-plastic brain and mind state, enhanced rate of associative learning and the potential mediation of a psychological transformation.

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Ayahuasca’s ‘afterglow’: improved mindfulness and cognitive flexibility in ayahuasca drinkers

Cited by 87 publications

References 42 publications

Lasting effects of a single psilocybin dose on resting-state functional connectivity in healthy individuals

Lasting effects of a single psilocybin dose on resting-state functional connectivity in healthy individuals

Associations between lifetime classic psychedelic use and markers of physical health

Pivotal mental states

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