Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew that people from the Amazonian regions traditionally use as a spiritual medicine. This brew reportedly induces strong hallucinations, but what, exactly, does it do to the brain? Researchers have discovered evidence of ayahuasca — also known as “yagé” — in use by shamans, dating back…
Psychedelic compound triggers near-death experiences
A new study, published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, suggests that a psychedelic compound found in ayahuasca replicates near-death experiences in the brain. Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew made from different plants. A main ingredient is dimethyltryptamine (DMT), which is a “non-selective serotonin receptor agonist” — that is, a compound that boosts serotonin,…