René van Wettum, M. Sc., has been passionately interested in Ayahuasca research for the last decade and wrote his master thesis on the pharmacology of N, N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) under the supervision of Prof. dr. A. N. M. Schoffelmeer. He first studied Biomedical Sciences as an undergraduate at the University of Amsterdam before attending the research master program Neurosciences at the VU University Amsterdam. During this time he did research at the department of psychopharmacology into the role of the endocannabinoid system in the medial prefrontal cortex in relation to cue-induced relapse to heroin seeking behavior.

In his master thesis, he explores the evidence for the endogenous production of DMT in the mammalian brain. He also investigates the parallels between the brain chemistry of Ayahuasca and REM sleep. Recently he returned from the Amazon basin where he had the chance to learn first hand about the use of Ayahuasca in traditional ritual settings from local shamans.

Parallels between the brain chemistry of REM sleep and Ayahuasca

This presentation of a neuroscience master thesis deals with the general pharmacology of N, N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT). Special attention being placed on the evidence for its endogenous production in the human body and the pineal gland in particular. Furthermore intriguing putative parallels between the brain chemistry of the DMT containing South-American hallucinogenic brew Ayahuasca and REM sleep are considered.

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