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141 GETTING DMT received 0.4 mg/kg DMT doses at the Research Center while we recorded their brain waves using an EEG, or electroencephalogram. We hoped this would show us which brain areas were more or less active during the DMT intoxication. These were difficult studies, as the EEG machine was extraordinarily bulky and noisy and required constant adjustments. As well, there were eighteen electrodes firmly attached to volunteers' scalps, glued in place by some of the strongest-smelling contact cement I have ever encoun- tered. While all three subjects had "full" responses to DMT, the setting was terribly unpleasant. I recruited no more volunteers than these three, wanting first to be sure the data were so impressive as to justify the dis- comfort. The results were not especially striking, and we ran no more EEG experiments. Finally, I took advantage of some state-of-the-art brain-imaging re- search taking place at the University of New Mexico. This was "functional magnetic resonance imaging," a modified MRI head scan that measures brain metabolism, rather than just its structure. For example, we might be able to show that the brain areas involved in vision were using more sugar after a visual DMT experience. To an even greater extent than the EEG equipment, the MRI equip- ment absolutely dominated the setting. This scanner, support equipment, and staff required their own building on the other side of campus. These were the only DMT studies ever performed outside the Research Center. The MRI machine generates intensely high energy magnetic fields, and there can be no metal anywhere in the room, or in the person's body. Other- wise, that metal gets instantly and irresistibly pulled into the machine. To accommodate the scanner, the room is cavernous, and it is kept quite cool because this reduces the power necessary to maintain the magnetic fields. The space into which we slid volunteers for their scans was a very narrow shiny metallic tube. I knew many people suffered their first panic attack during an MRI scan because of the cramped quarters into which one has to fit for the procedure. I now saw why. Worst of all was the noise. The machine contains a massive coil that swings back and forth, much like a washing machine, only ten times as