Abstract
Ayahuasca is a psychoactive plant brew containing dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). It originates from the Amazon basin, where it is used primarily for ceremonial purposes. Ayahuasca tourists are now entering certain communities seeking alternative physical or psychological healing, as well as spiritual growth.RationaleRecent evidence has shown that the similar acting psychedelic compound, psilocybin, facilitated long-term increases in trait openness following a single administration.ObjectivesThis paper assesses the impact of ayahuasca on personality in a traditional framework catering for ayahuasca tourists.MethodWithin a mixed design, we examined the effect of ayahuasca on participants’ personality (measured by the NEO Personality Inventory 3 questionnaire) across time (pre- to post-ayahuasca administration, and 6-month follow-up), relative to a comparison group (who did not ingest ayahuasca).ResultsThe results demonstrated significant increases in agreeableness pre- and post-ayahuasca administration and significant reductions in neuroticism in 24 participants, relative to the comparison group. Both of these changes were sustained at 6-month follow-up, and trait level increases were also observed in openness at this stage. Additionally, greater perceived mystical experience (measured using the Mystical Experience Questionnaire 30) was associated with increased reductions in neuroticism.ConclusionsThese findings, which indicate a positive mediating effect of ayahuasca on personality, support the growing literature suggesting potential therapeutic avenues for serotonergic psychedelics.
Highlights
Anthropological data suggests that psychoactive compounds have been used throughout history and are still used to this day by various traditional communities
Analysis observed a significant reduction in neuroticism scores in the active group at post-test, as indicated by a significant interaction between time, personality, and group (Pillai’s trace = 0.24, F(2.03, 93.44) = 5.50, ηp2 = .11, p = .005)
Pairwise comparisons revealed a significant reduction in Neuroticism scores from baseline measures to post-test in the active group (Mdiff = 17.08, 95% CI (10.12, 24.05), p < .001), d = 0.59, not the control group (Mdiff = 3.38, 95% CI (− 3.59, 10.34), p = .335, d = 0.14)
Summary
Anthropological data suggests that psychoactive compounds have been used throughout history and are still used to this day by various traditional communities. Mushrooms (Metzner 2005); the Bantu tribes of Gabon who use iboga; and a number of communities within the Amazonas which use ayahuasca These traditions appear to share similarities, despite the vastness of their geographical separation (Luna 2011), the most obvious being the type of compound used, often existing in different species of plant or fungi; similarities in ritual; shape of ceremonial buildings; the use of music and perfumes; and often resemblances in spiritual themes (Winkelman 2013). These features appear to have evolved independently, with examples on entirely different continents (Clottes and Lewis-Williams 1998). Scientists have begun looking at these practices in order to investigate their potential applicability in medicine (Sessa 2012)
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