http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aufjjU0EYxk

I fell over this video, which I find very interesting and it seems (from this short clip) pretty legit.
But neuropatterns seems like quite a difficult area to study. It may be from my lack of knowledge on how this field of research works, that it is hard for me to understand how this could actually be proven.
That said, I have seen other non-drug related documentaries about the brain and how repeated feelings and emotions will reinforce and kind of glue the neurotransmitters, for those particular emotions, together.

So I was wondering if what they say in this video is actually proven, or it is a theoretical suggestion build on statements from users experiences?

Also is this only true for ayahuasca?

In The Spirit Molecule, Rick Strassman concludes that DMT had little to none long term effects on the brain. I'm guessing the difference would be in the length of the experiences, and therefore with ayahusaca, our brain is better capable to process these experiences and emotions and thus make these new neuropaths.
But I'm no expert and I'd love to hear from someone who has a lot more knowledge on these fields than I do

I have only tried the DMT experience by smoking it, and I'm slowly preparing for my first pharmahuasca experience, so I find all this quite interesting! I know I could use some new neuropaths to break up some of my bad emotional habbits, and it would be the bomb if aya or pharma would actually help me to do this

(also, if anyone knows the name of the full documentary, please do share!)

This clip is from the documentary film "The Jungle Prescription", based on the amazing work of Dr. Gabor Maté with ayahuasca.

Ayahuasca can act on the brain and cause changes in a number of ways...increase densities of serotonin transporter receptor sites, by affecting neurogenesis, by influencing neuroplasticity where part of the brain in the ayahuasca state can override normal entrenched brain patterns, and so form new pathways, one of the reasons it may be good for treating PTSD. There have been measurable changes in brain structure via brain imaging in long term ayahuasca users (I spoke to Dr Jordi Riba about this), all pretty cutting edge stuff right now. I spoke on ayahuasca and brain change at the World Aya Conference in Ibiza and my presentation is attached if it is of any interest...there are references listed at the end of you want to do any further reading (I don't like my presentations to be over-wordy).

awesome. Will look at it as soon as I have the time for it. I can see from your presentation that the reference material will cost me some effort to understand fully

But how come both you and the documentary puts its focus on ayahuasca and not DMT? Would do you say that DMT by it self, wouldn't produce the same changes in brain structure as ayahuasca?



... If anybody has The Jungle Prescription or know where I can see it or download it, please do share! Searched after it for quite a while without luck

I believe this is it.




Thanks for the info and the presentation notes Bancopuma!

No probs! And no, DMT is only part of the story when it comes to ayahuasca and brain change, and important we look at all the pharmacological factors of which there is numerous. From some of the ayahuasca talks I saw, an emphasis was placed on the state of consciousness that results from the interplay of the beta-carboline alkaloids together with the DMT...distinct from either alone.

Also, it has been known for a while that ayahuasca can increase densities of serotonin receptor sites on platelets (Callaway et al. 1994 study), and this doesn't appear to be down to the DMT content of the brew, but is down to the tetrahydroharmine (THH) component of the vine used. Also remember that the beta-carboline rich B. caapi vine IS ayahuasca...the DMT is an additional component.

hm, interesting how about changa or pharmahuasca? would that have same effects to the brain as those done by ayahuasca, if one would choose to make an B. caapi vine extraction as this ? or would this only pull harmalas and no THH and therefore wouldn't change a thing?


And thanks a lot dreamer042! I did actually bump into this video a couple of times, but I didn't watch it assuming it would be in portuguese! So thank you for outsmarting me