Increased functional connectivity between brain regions involved in social cognition, emotion and affective-value in psychedelic states induced by N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT).

A pharmacoimaging study in eleven healthy experienced users found that inhaled DMT increases functional connectivity between brain regions involved in social cognition and emotional processing. Specifically, DMT strengthened connections between the supramarginal gyrus and the precuneus, posterior cingulate gyrus, amygdala, and orbitofrontal cortex, as well as between the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex. These changes occurred in socio-emotional and affective-value circuits, offering insight into how psychedelics may alter brain function and potentially contribute to therapeutic effects in disorders involving social and reward processing deficits.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The modulation of social cognition is suggested as a possible mechanism contributing to the potential clinical efficacy of psychedelics in disorders involving socio-emotional and reward processing deficits. Resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rs-fMRI) can be used to detect changes in brain connectivity during psychedelic-induced states. Thus, this pharmacoimaging study investigates the effects of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) on functional connectivity in brain areas relevant to social cognition, using a within-subject design in eleven healthy experienced users. The study included both an active and a control condition, conducted at different time points. The active condition involved DMT inhalation, while the control condition did not. Seed-based connectivity was measured for the two core regions involved in theory of mind and emotional processing, respectively, the posterior supramarginal gyrus and the amygdala. DMT increased supramarginal gyrus connectivity with the precuneus, posterior cingulate gyrus, amygdala, and orbitofrontal cortex. Additionally, increased connectivity emerged between the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex. These results demonstrate that DMT modulates brain connectivity in socio-emotional and affective-value circuits, advancing our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the psychedelic experience and its potential therapeutic action.