Ayahuasca-Inspired DMT/HAR Formulation Reduces Brain Differentiation Between Self and Other Faces
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Background
Psychedelics are known to profoundly alter perception and self-referential processing, yet their specific effects on face recognition—a key aspect of social cognition—remain underexplored.
Objective
This study investigates the effects of an ayahuasca-inspired novel DMT/HAR (N,N-dimethyltryptamine/Harmine) formulation and Harmine alone on face recognition and self-referential processing, as measured by event-related potentials (ERPs).
Methods
In a within-subject, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, 31 healthy male participants underwent EEG recording during a visual oddball task involving Self, Familiar, and Unknown Faces. The study compared the effects of a DMT/HAR formulation, harmine alone, and placebo on key visual ERP components: P1, N170, and P300.
Results
DMT/HAR increased P1 amplitude and decreased N170 amplitude across all face categories, indicating enhanced early visual processing and disrupted face structural encoding. DMT/HAR also reduced P300 amplitude specifically for self-faces, diminishing neural differentiation between self and other faces.
Conclusion
The DMT/HAR formulation significantly blurs the neural distinction between self and other faces, suggesting a potential mechanism by which psychedelics diminish attentional focus on self-referential information, thereby enhancing empathy and unity. These insights into serotonergic modulation of face recognition could inform therapeutic strategies for disorders characterized by altered self-processing.
