Praying, Using Psychedelic Substances May Activate Similar Regions in Brain

Prayer and psychedelic substances have both demonstrated that they have antidepressant, analgesic and anxiolytic properties. This is in addition to showing that they can both induce alterations of mood and perception. Various studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging have identified cortical regions and brain structures that become active when individuals undergo intense spiritual experiences or are exposed to various psychedelic substances.

Spiritual retreat participants usually report enhanced spiritual well-being or improved sense of spirituality, which researchers think may be linked to changes in functional connectivity between regions in the brain that were actively involved in the production of those feelings.

A study that was conducted recently utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine each participant’s brain before and during an intense spiritual retreat, which lasted a week. The study’s authors observed substantial changes in some regions in the brain, including the temporal lobe, the superior parietal lobe, the superior frontal lobe and the cingulate cortex.

A separate analysis conducted on different studies that used PET, fMRI and electroencephalography to study religions such as Islam, Buddhism and Christianity also found that some of the above regions in the brain were involved in spiritual or religious experiences. On the other hand, research on psychedelic substances has shown that most psychedelics stimulate the serotonin type 2A receptors in the frontal cortex.

Another study that looked into whether cingulate thickness could be used to forecast higher subjective ratings in the 5D Altered State of Consciousness test found a high number of serotonin 2A receptors in the cingulate cortex. This test is used to evaluate the peak alterations of consciousness. The four modes of consciousness include the integrative mode, the REM sleep mode, the deep sleep mode and the waking mode.

Additionally, an analysis of different studies that used SPECT, PET and fMRI imaging to investigate psychedelics such as mescaline, LSD, psilocybin, DMT and ayahuasca discovered that these drugs activated the temporal lobe, medial cortex, frontal lateral cortex and occipital cortex. Collectively, the findings of these studies propose that psychedelics and spiritual or religious experiences induce a generally positive mood and grow introspection by modulating brain activity.

It should be noted that these studies suggest that both experiences involve overlapping neural structures activating during hallucinations and intense religious experiences, and not that the experiences are identical, which is why it shouldn’t come as a shock that most cultures have established strict social and religious rules around the utilization of plants that induce hallucinations. Classical entheogenic plants or their symbolic representations have played a huge role in religious ceremonies in many indigenous communities for millennia.

The discovery that psychedelics activate a number of regions in the brain paints a promising picture for companies such as Tryp Therapeutics Inc. (CSE: TRYP) (OTCQB: TRYPF) that are taking steps to develop psychedelic remedies for neuropsychiatric disorders, including eating disorders.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Tryp Therapeutics Inc. (CSE: TRYP) (OTCQB: TRYPF) available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/TRYPF

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