Exploring 5-MeO-DMT as a pharmacological model for deconstructed consciousness

Abstract

5-MeO-DMT is a short-acting psychedelic that is anecdotally reported to induce a radical disruption of the self and a paradoxical quality of aroused, waking awareness that is nevertheless devoid of any specific perceptual contents. Here, we conducted an exploratory observational study of the phenomenological and neuronal effects of this compound. We collected micro-phenomenological interviews, psychometric questionnaires, and electroencephalography (EEG) in naturalistic ceremonial settings where 5-MeO-DMT was ingested. Results revealed that the 5-MeO-DMT experience followed a dynamic progression that-only in the most extreme cases-manifested as a complete absence of self-experience and other phenomenal content with preserved awareness. Furthermore, visual imagery, bodily self-disruption, narrative self-disruption, and reduced phenomenal distinctions occurred in a variable fashion. EEG analyses revealed the 5-MeO-DMT experience was characterised by (global) alpha and (posterior) beta power reductions, implying a mode of brain functioning where top-down models are inhibited. Our preliminary phenomenological findings confirm the potential utility of 5-MeO-DMT as a pharmacological model for deconstructed consciousness while noting the limitations of employing retrospective questionnaires for this purpose. Considering the exploratory nature of this study and its limitations inherent to its naturalistic nature, further research employing real-time experience sampling and phenomenologically trained participants in controlled environments could expand our findings to meaningfully inform the potential of this tool for the scientific study of consciousness.

Keywords: EEG; awareness; neurophenomenology; psychedelic; self; serotonin.

Figure 1

Characterisation of the 5-MeO-DMT experience. (a) Analysis of interviews following 5-MeO-DMT resulted in six categories of experience. Arrows and percentages describe the temporal progression between categories and their frequency of occurrence (initial transitions do not add to 100% because progressions were not identified for all participants). (b) Results from self-reported retrospective ASC questionnaire showing scores for the 5 (left) and 11 (right) dimensions (colours in the 11 dimensions are matched to their grouping in the 5 dimensions). These subscales revealed high variability in a wide range of phenomenological features, including for participants experiencing the ‘everything/nothing’ stage (shown as black dots), which are distributed in a wide range of scores (with the exception of the ‘Unity’ dimension), reflecting the inherent limitations of static, self-reported measures (Large coloured dots represent the mean).

Figure 2

EEG effects of 5-MeO-DMT. Ingestion of 5-MeO-DMT resulted in global reductions of alpha power across most electrodes, and decreases in posterior beta band power.

Figure 3

Relationship between self-disruption and EEG spectra. Qualitative inspection of EEG spectra of participants reporting a complete absence of the self (for which the ‘abstract’ or everything/nothing’ stages were identified) did not show any overt differences compared to participants who reported some preservation of the self.