Linking Ayahuasca, Mental Imagery, & Internal Attention with Neuroimaging - Dráulio Barros de Araujo

Ayahuasca modulates neural regions related to vision, memory, and internal attention. Functional neuroimaging studies of ayahuasca users reveal that these brain areas show increased activation during mental imagery tasks, suggesting a potential role for the substance in memory recollection and internal exploration. Functional neuroimaging evidence also suggests that ayahuasca and psilocybin act to decrease signals in the Default Mode Network, a system associated with rumination, mind-wandering, and self-referential thought. This effect contrasts with the increased network activation typically observed in patients experiencing depressive states.