“Most psychedelic research has focused on the brain, but I became increasingly convinced that we were overlooking something crucial. This idea was reinforced by the growing field of somatic therapy and the way psychedelics seem to help reconnect people’s minds with their bodies,” said study author Valérie Bonnelle, an independent researcher who received a PhD in cognitive neuroscience from Imperial College London.

The study revealed interesting relationships between heart activity and participants’ subjective experiences. During the peak of the DMT experience, there was a unique pattern of coactivation between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems – both systems were simultaneously active, which is unusual. This state of “sympathovagal coactivation” was strongly linked to participants’ reports of spiritual and insightful experiences during their DMT session. In other words, when the body experienced this rare balance between stress responses and relaxation, individuals were more likely to report having profound, mystical experiences.

Original Article (Psypost):
Scientists uncover fascinating link between psychedelic experiences and heart activity
Artwork Fair Use: Daniel Capilla