In some circles, the powerful psychedelic N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is known as the “spirit molecule” for its unique ability to transport people to other worlds. Those who usually take it will experience vivid colors, abstract geometric patterns, and even goblins and aliens, all in a way that feels completely authentic.
All of this may seem as far from the realm of empirical science as you can get, but not for neuroscientists. Written by Zeus. In his laboratory in Maastricht, the Netherlands, he is planning a strange experiment in which he will monitor the brains of people dosed with DMT while wearing a virtual reality headset. The hope is that by observing what happens when we slip into another form of reality, we can understand how our minds construct what we experience in our daily lives. “Our brains are easily fooled about what reality is,” says Tipado.
Already, he’s found tantalizing signs of a new brain network that he believes may underlie the feeling of being immersed in a world, whether it’s real life, virtual reality or a drug-induced trip. He hopes to identify and perhaps learn to control this hypothetical “merze circuit.” If it can, it might mark how believable an experience is, create more effective mental health therapies, and create more visceral training worlds for surgeons or firefighters. It would also be a great advance in neuroscience, of course.
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We don’t fully understand how our minds create the perfect experience…
