Science and Spirit: How does Ayahuasca influence brain neuroplasticity?

For a long time, an insurmountable gap existed between the scientific community and spiritual traditions. Researchers in white coats viewed mystical experience as a byproduct of chemical reactions, while adherents of tradition saw in science merely a dry attempt to confine the infinite. However, over the past two decades, the situation has changed fundamentally. Thanks to advances in functional magnetic resonance imaging and molecular biology, we have gained the ability to look inside a process that for centuries was considered a sacred mystery. It has become clear that Ayahuasca is not merely a catalyst for visions, but a powerful modulator of brain function, capable of literally restructuring its architecture.

In the context of SACRUNA, we regard this process as the scientific foundation of deep personality transformation. If spirit indicates direction, neurobiology provides the mechanism through which changes become sustainable. In this article, we will examine what occurs in the brain during and after the ceremony, and why the term “neuroplasticity” is key to understanding the effectiveness of Ayahuasca.

Neuroplasticity: The Biological Foundation of Change

To understand the impact of Ayahuasca, it is necessary to clarify the concept of neuroplasticity. As recently as thirty years ago, medicine was dominated by the belief that the adult brain was a static structure with a fixed set of neural connections. It was assumed that once development was complete in early adulthood, the brain could only decline.

Today, we know this is not the case. The brain possesses a remarkable ability to change, adapt, and recover throughout life. Neuroplasticity is the capacity of neurons to modify their synaptic connections in response to new experiences, information, or environmental changes. This mechanism enables learning, the elimination of habits, and recovery after trauma.

Ayahuasca acts as a hyper-catalyst of this process. Research indicates that its components—dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and the alkaloids of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine (harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine)—initiate a cascade of reactions that significantly accelerate the growth of new neurons and strengthen the connections between them.

Neurogenesis and BDNF: The Birth of New Life in the Brain

One of the most significant discoveries of recent years has been confirmation that Ayahuasca stimulates neurogenesis—the process of forming new neurons from stem cells. Laboratory studies conducted at the Institute of Biomedical Research in Madrid have shown that the alkaloids of the vine promote the differentiation of neural stem cells into mature neurons.

This process is regulated by a protein known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). It is often metaphorically referred to as “fertilizer for the brain.” BDNF supports the survival of existing neurons and stimulates the growth of new dendrites—the extensions through which cells communicate with one another. High levels of BDNF directly correlate with cognitive flexibility, strong memory, and resilience to depression.

During the ceremony and for some time afterward, participants exhibit a significant increase in BDNF levels. This creates the window of opportunity we refer to at SACRUNA: the brain becomes receptive to new information and capable of rapidly forming alternative patterns of thinking.

Default Mode Network: Deconstruction of the Ego

One of the most intriguing aspects of Ayahuasca’s influence is its effect on the Default Mode Network (DMN). This neural network connects brain regions that are active when a person is not engaged in specific tasks but is immersed in thoughts about themselves, their past, or their future.

The DMN is the biological refuge of the ego. It is here that our sense of “self,” our habitual narratives, and our automatic reactions are formed. Under normal conditions, this network is necessary for personality functioning. However, in depression, anxiety disorders, or addiction, the DMN becomes excessively active and rigid. The individual becomes trapped in loops of repetitive negative thoughts and beliefs.

Ayahuasca temporarily reduces the activity of key nodes within the DMN, particularly the posterior cingulate cortex and the medial prefrontal cortex. When this network is temporarily deactivated, the rigid boundaries of the ego dissolve. This explains the sense of unity with the universe and the disappearance of personal problems frequently reported by participants. From a neurobiological perspective, this is a reset state. When DMN activity is restored after the retreat, it often becomes less dominant, allowing the individual to view their life without the habitual filters of self-criticism and fear.

Interregional Connectivity: When the Brain Begins to Speak to Itself

In ordinary conditions, different regions of the brain communicate through well-established, habitual pathways. We think and act within narrow functional specializations of the brain. Under the influence of Ayahuasca, however, this pattern changes dramatically.

Functional MRI demonstrates that during deep immersion, Ayahuasca induces a state of hyperconnectivity. Brain regions that rarely communicate in everyday life begin exchanging signals directly. It resembles a city in which traffic was previously confined to main highways, and suddenly thousands of new side streets and bridges open.

This interregional connectivity underlies insights and revelations. You begin to perceive connections between events in your life that previously appeared unrelated. You may experience sound as color or perceive emotion as a visual image. For an entrepreneur, this state provides access to unconventional solutions to strategic challenges, integrating analytical data with intuitive vision into a coherent whole.

Sigma-1 Receptor: Transformation at the Cellular Level

If we descend even deeper, to the level of individual cells, we encounter the influence on the Sigma-1 receptor. DMT is an endogenous ligand for this receptor, meaning it fits it like a key in a lock. The Sigma-1 receptor plays a crucial role in cellular protection from stress and in immune system regulation.

Activation of the Sigma-1 receptor contributes to: protection of neurons from oxidative stress and inflammation; regulation of synaptic plasticity; and improvement of mitochondrial function—the energy stations of our cells.

Thus, the work performed by Ayahuasca affects not only the psychological level, but also profound biological processes related to longevity and cellular health. This further confirms that a retreat at SACRUNA constitutes a comprehensive therapy for the entire human system.

Emotional Memory and the Amygdala

Ayahuasca possesses a unique capacity to provide access to early, often traumatic memories that were repressed or blocked by the psyche. The amygdala and hippocampus are responsible for storing emotionally charged memories.

Under normal conditions, traumatic memory is tightly linked to a fear response. Each time something recalls the trauma, the amygdala activates a stress reaction. Ayahuasca allows a person to revisit such memories in a state of deep calm and safety, supported by the presence of facilitators and the proper neurochemical environment. At this moment, memory reconsolidation occurs. The emotional charge becomes detached from the event, and it ceases to be a trauma, becoming instead part of personal history. This is possible due to the temporary reduction in activity of fear centers and the strengthening of connections with the cerebral cortex responsible for interpretation and meaning-making.

Therapeutic Potential: Depression and Addiction

Scientific studies conducted in Brazil and Spain demonstrate impressive results in the treatment of treatment-resistant depression. Participants for whom traditional antidepressants had been ineffective showed significant symptom reduction within 24 hours after Ayahuasca intake, and this effect persisted for several weeks and even months.

The mechanism is dual. On one hand, there is biochemical correction of serotonin levels and stimulation of neurogenesis. On the other, there is the psychological experience of transcending the depressive “self.” When a person perceives that they are not identical to their depression but something far greater, this realization becomes the foundation for recovery.

In cases of addiction, Ayahuasca helps disrupt the automatic link between trigger and substance use. Through neuroplasticity, the brain gains an opportunity to form new pathways for experiencing satisfaction and meaning, independent of external chemical stimulation.

Subjective Experience as a Variable of Success

It is noteworthy that scientific data confirm the importance of the mystical experience itself. Statistically, the deeper, more sacred, and more transcendent participants describe their state, the more pronounced and long-lasting the therapeutic changes in the brain. This indicates that visual imagery, encounters with entities, and the sense of divine presence are not merely side effects, but essential elements of the transformative process.

Science cannot explain the content of these images, but it clearly documents their impact on well-being. Thus, spirit and matter prove inseparable: profound inner experience alters biology, and altered biology enables the stabilization of a new level of awareness.

Integration: Consolidation of Neural Pathways

As mentioned in our previous materials, the window of heightened neuroplasticity remains open only temporarily. After returning from Spain to everyday life, an individual has approximately two to four weeks during which the brain remains especially plastic.

If during this time one returns to old habits, toxic environments, and previous patterns of thinking, the new neural connections established by Ayahuasca will begin to atrophy. However, if this period is used for active implementation of changes—meditation, a new diet, adjustments to business processes—these connections will strengthen and become part of your enduring structure.

At SACRUNA, we design the program to maximize the use of this biological resource. By understanding the science of the process, we help guests consciously manage their state, transforming a temporary elevation into a stable foundation for life.

Conclusion: A New Anthropology

Ayahuasca offers a glimpse into the future of humanity, where technologies of self-knowledge are combined with deep respect for biology and spirit. It is an instrument that allows us to literally update the operating system of our brain, removing outdated program code and adding functions necessary for living in a complex, rapidly changing world.

At SACRUNA, we believe that understanding the scientific foundations of the process does not diminish its depth, but rather makes it more conscious and responsible. When you know that behind your vision stands the growth of new neurons and the deconstruction of a limiting ego, your trust in Ayahuasca—and in yourself—increases.

Science confirms what ancient traditions have known for thousands of years: human beings are capable of radical renewal. And today, on the sunlit villas of Spain, we apply this knowledge to help you encounter the most refined version of yourself—a version whose brain and spirit operate in full harmony.