Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
A Collaborative Approach to 5-MeO-DMT Research: Context and Neuroscience
5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) is a psychedelic drug known for its uniquely profound effects on subjective experience, reliably eradicating the perception of time, space, and the self. However, little is known about how this drug alters large-scale brain activity. This talk presents findings from a collaborative naturalistic study conducted by UCL/Imperial College London in partnership with F.I.V.E/Tandava Retreats in Mexico, in which EEG data were collected from 29 participants before and after inhaling 12 mg of vaporised synthetic 5-MeO-DMT. We show that 5-MeO-DMT profoundly reorganises low-frequency cortical activity and alters the brain’s dynamical landscape, giving rise to slower, more stable, low-dimensional global dynamics. These findings offer the first detailed characterisation of 5-MeO-DMT’s effects on human brain function. This presentation focuses on the study design and EEG results, with subsequent talks in the session exploring other arms of the study.
Bio:
Rosalind completed her PhD at UCL, where she developed novel measures of psychedelic preparedness and investigated how meditation shapes the unfolding of psychedelic experiences. Her research spans clinical and retreat settings, combining psychometric, behavioural, and neurophysiological data. She is broadly interested in how consciousness can be intentionally altered, and what these shifts reveal about the brain, the mind, and the nature of subjective experience.
George Blackburne is a PhD student jointly based at University College London and Imperial College London. With a background in molecular pharmacology, his research focuses on understanding how psychedelics influence brain dynamics and subjective experience. George applies innovative techniques from statistical physics and information theory to explore the macroscopic organization of the brain and the mechanisms underlying distributed computation.
A Collaborative Approach to 5-MeO-DMT Research: Context and Neuroscience
5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) is a psychedelic drug known for its uniquely profound effects on subjective experience, reliably eradicating the perception of time, space, and the self. However, little is known about how this drug alters large-scale brain activity. This talk presents findings from a collaborative naturalistic study conducted by UCL/Imperial College London in partnership with F.I.V.E/Tandava Retreats in Mexico, in which EEG data were collected from 29 participants before and after inhaling 12 mg of vaporised synthetic 5-MeO-DMT. We show that 5-MeO-DMT profoundly reorganises low-frequency cortical activity and alters the brain’s dynamical landscape, giving rise to slower, more stable, low-dimensional global dynamics. These findings offer the first detailed characterisation of 5-MeO-DMT’s effects on human brain function. This presentation focuses on the study design and EEG results, with subsequent talks in the session exploring other arms of the study.
Bio:
Rosalind completed her PhD at UCL, where she developed novel measures of psychedelic preparedness and investigated how meditation shapes the unfolding of psychedelic experiences. Her research spans clinical and retreat settings, combining psychometric, behavioural, and neurophysiological data. She is broadly interested in how consciousness can be intentionally altered, and what these shifts reveal about the brain, the mind, and the nature of subjective experience.
George Blackburne is a PhD student jointly based at University College London and Imperial College London. With a background in molecular pharmacology, his research focuses on understanding how psychedelics influence brain dynamics and subjective experience. George applies innovative techniques from statistical physics and information theory to explore the macroscopic organization of the brain and the mechanisms underlying distributed computation.
