Ayahuasca enhances creative divergent thinking while decreasing conventional convergent thinking
Por:
Kuypers, KPC, Riba, J, Revenga, MD, Barker, S, Theunissen, EL, Ramaekers, JG
Publicada:
1 sep 2016
Resumen:
Ayahuasca is a South American psychotropic plant tea traditionally used in Amazonian shamanism. The tea contains the psychedelic 5-HT2A receptor agonist N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), plus beta-carboline alkaloids with monoamine oxidase-inhibiting properties. Increasing evidence from anecdotal reports and open-label studies indicates that ayahuasca may have therapeutic effects in treatment of substance use disorders and depression. A recent study on the psychological effects of ayahuasca found that the tea reduces judgmental processing and inner reactivity, classic goals of mindfulness psychotherapy. Another psychological facet that could potentially be targeted by ayahuasca is creative divergent thinking. This mode of thinking can enhance and strengthen psychological flexibility by allowing individuals to generate new and effective cognitive, emotional, and behavioral strategies. The present study aimed to assess the potential effects of ayahuasca on creative thinking.
We visited two spiritual ayahuasca workshops and invited participants to conduct creativity tests before and during the acute effects of ayahuasca. In total, 26 participants consented. Creativity tests included the "pattern/line meanings test" (PLMT) and the "picture concept test" (PCT), both assessing divergent thinking and the latter also assessing convergent thinking.
While no significant effects were found for the PLMT, ayahuasca intake significantly modified divergent and convergent thinking as measured by the PCT. While convergent thinking decreased after intake, divergent thinking increased.
The present data indicate that ayahuasca enhances creative divergent thinking. They suggest that ayahuasca increases psychological flexibility, which may facilitate psychotherapeutic interventions and support clinical trial initiatives.
Filiaciones:
Kuypers, KPC:
Maastricht Univ, Fac Psychol & Neurosci, Dept Neuropsychol & Psychopharmacol, Maastricht, Netherlands
Riba, J:
St Pau Inst Biomed Res, Human Expt Neuropsychopharmacol, Barcelona, Spain
Revenga, MD:
St Pau Inst Biomed Res, Human Expt Neuropsychopharmacol, Barcelona, Spain
Barker, S:
Louisiana State Univ, Dept Comparat Biomed Sci, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA
Theunissen, EL:
Maastricht Univ, Fac Psychol & Neurosci, Dept Neuropsychol & Psychopharmacol, Maastricht, Netherlands
Ramaekers, JG:
Maastricht Univ, Fac Psychol & Neurosci, Dept Neuropsychol & Psychopharmacol, Maastricht, Netherlands
Green Published, Hybrid Gold
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