Michiel van Elk
Principal investigator, associate professor
Michiel van Elk (1980) is a researcher and writer in the field of psychology, philosophy and neuroscience. Having received his PhD at the Donders Institute, the Netherlands, he has worked at several international institutions including the University of California Santa Barbara the École Polytechnique Féderale de Lausanne in Switzerland and Stanford University. He is currently affiliated as associate professor at Leiden University. He has conducted pioneering work on psychedelics, altered states of consciousness, feelings of awe, the evolution of religion and mystical experiences. His work, including more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific articles, book chapters and books, has been featured by the New York Times, Vice, Lonely Planet, New Scientist, The Daily Beast and Psychedelic Spotlight.
Studies
Not recruiting
Effect of S-Ketamine on Self and Body Perception in Healthy Adults
The aim of this study is to determine how an intravenous infusion of S-ketamine compared to a placebo affects implicit body perception and neural signals to self-related information.
Not recruiting
The effects of psychedelic retreats on the brain
In collaboration with retreat centers Innerlijke Reis, Inward Bound and Set and Setting , our research team is conducting a study with the purpose of uncovering the underlying brain activity and connectivity changes…
Open for participants
Self-experimentation among psychedelic researchers, facilitators and clinicians
The aim of this online survey study is to evaluate the prevalence of self-experimentation with psychedelics among psychedelic researchers, clinicians and facilitators.
Not recruiting
The effect of a psilocybin retreat on the narratives of religious leaders
This study used self-report quantitative and open-ended survey questions as well as a semi-structured interview to investigate the experiences of 12 religious leaders at a psilocybin retreat.
Not recruiting
Psychedelic Retreats and the Dynamics of Transformation
In collaboration with retreat centers Eremia , Psytide , and Rejuvyn, this study is exploring the dynamics of personal transformation induced by the naturalistic use of psilocybin-containing truffles in retreat settings.
Open for participants
Many Analysts Psychedelic Project (MAPP)
Psychedelic experiences are measured with a patchwork of questionnaires — the Mystical Experience Questionnaire, the Challenging Experience Questionnaire, the Ego Dissolution Inventory, the 11-Dimensional Altered States…
Open for participants
Towards a brief Altered States of Consciousness Rating Scale
This study aims to confirm the factor structure of the Altered States of Consciousness scale and to develop a brief alternative based on this structure.
Not recruiting
The effects of psilocybin on perceptual processing: a 7T fMRI study
In this study we investigate the effects of low to moderate doses of psilocybin on perceptual processing in healthy volunteers. The aim of this project is to unravel the basic neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the…
Not recruiting
Effect of Psychedelics on Core Beliefs -Online Survey Study
We are recruiting people who are planning to attend a psychedelic ceremony and are interested in completing our surveys before and after their experience.
Research projects
INTEGRATE (MSCA Doctoral Network) — DC10: Methodological challenges in psychedelic research
The PRSM lab hosts one of sixteen doctoral positions in INTEGRATE, a pan-European Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network training the next generation of experts in psychedelic therapy, running from 2026 to 2030 across…
Open Psilocybin Project
Using open science practices to assess the effects of psilocybin on the brain, the body and self-perception
VIDI project ‘Putting Psychedelics in Perspective’
The NWO-funded VIDI project ‘Putting Psychedelics in Perspective’ (2021-2026) focuses on conducting basic neurocognitive research to better understand the working mechanisms underlying psychedelic substances.
Scale Development
We are actively involved in developing, revising, and translating several psychometric scales.
The psychological and neurocognitive effects of awe experiences on self-perception.
This project explores the effects of different types of awe experiences (e.g., positive awe, threatening awe) on self-perception and attention (e.g., visual).
Altered states brain dynamics database
In this project, we investigate resting-state fMRI connectivity of different pharmacologically and non-pharmacologically induced altered states of consciousness.
Microdosing
Microdosing is an increasingly popular trend amongst psychedelic communities and refers to a practice where individuals consume sub-perceptual amounts of a psychedelic substance (e.g., LSD or psilocybin) every 2-4 days.
Open Science of Religion Project
To foster openness and transparency in the psychology of religion and spirituality (PRS), together with the joint editors of 3 PRS journals, we have launched a Call for Proposals.
Publications
2023
History repeating: guidelines to address common problems in psychedelic science
van Elk, M., & Fried, E. I. (2023). History repeating: guidelines to address common problems in psychedelic science. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology, 13, 20451253231198466.
2022
Ayahuasca and Public Health II: Health Status in a Large Sample of Ayahuasca-Ceremony Participants in the Netherlands
Kohek, M., Ona, G., van Elk, M., Dos Santos, R. G., Hallak, J. E., Alcázar-Córcoles, M. Á., & Bouso, J. C. (2022). Ayahuasca and public health II: Health status in a large sample of ayahuasca-ceremony participants in the Netherlands. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 1–12.
2022
Future Directions for Clinical Psychedelic Research: The Relaxed Symptom Network
Lewis-Healey, E., Laukkonen, R., & van Elk, M. (2022). Future directions for clinical psilocybin research: The relaxed symptom network. Psychology and Neuroscience, 15(3), 223–235.
2022
Pharmacological, Neural, and Psychological Mechanisms underlying Psychedelics: A Critical Review
van Elk, M. & Yaden, D.B. (2022). Pharmacological, Neural, and Psychological Mechanisms underlying Psychedelics: A Critical Review. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews.
2022
Psilocybin microdosing does not affect emotion-related symptoms and processing: A preregistered field and lab-based study
Marschall, J., Fejer, G., Lempe, P., Prochazkova, L., Kuchar, M., Hajkova, K., & van Elk, M. (2022). Psilocybin microdosing does not affect emotion-related symptoms and processing: A preregistered field and lab-based study. Journal of psychopharmacology, 36(1), 97–113. https://doi.org/10.1177/02698811211050556
2022
Sixty years of studying the sacred: Auditing and advancing the psychology of religion and spirituality
Davis, E. B., Lacey, E. K., Heydt, E. J., LaBouff, J. P., Barker, S. B., Van Elk, M., & Ladd, K. L. (2022). Sixty years of studying the sacred: Auditing and advancing the psychology of religion and spirituality. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality.
2021
A predictive processing framework of tool use
van Elk, M. (2021). A predictive processing framework of tool use. Cortex.
2021
Effects of psilocybin microdosing on awe and aesthetic experiences: a preregistered field and lab-based study
van Elk, M., Fejer, G., Lempe, P., Prochazckova, L., Kuchar, M., Hajkova, K., & Marschall, J. (2021). Effects of psilocybin microdosing on awe and aesthetic experiences: a preregistered field and lab-based study. Psychopharmacology, 1-16.
2021
Religious delight: a non-functional approach to playful religious experiences
van Elk, M. (2021). Religious delight: a non-functional approach to playful religious experiences. Religion, Brain & Behavior, 11(2), 224-227.
2021
Working with Weirdness: a response to ‘Moving Past Mysticism in Psychedelic Science’
Breeksema, J. & van Elk, M., (2021). Working with Weirdness: a response to ‘Moving Past Mysticism in Psychedelic Science’. ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science.
2020
Broadening Your Mind to Include Others-The relationship between serotonergic psychedelic experiences and maladaptive narcissism
van Mullukom, V., Patterson, R. & van Elk, M. (2020). Broadening Your Mind to Include Others-The relationship between serotonergic psychedelic experiences and maladaptive narcissism. Psychopharmacology
2020
Religious Unbelief in Israel: A Replication Study Identifying and Characterizing Unbelievers Using Latent Class Analysis
van Elk, M. & Naaman, L., (2020). Religious Unbelief in Israel: A Replication Study Identifying and Characterizing Unbelievers Using Latent Class Analysis. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion.
2019
Experimentally induced awe does not affect implicit and explicit time perception
van Elk, M. & Rotteveel, M., (2019). Experimentally induced awe does not affect implicit and explicit time perception. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 1-12.
2019
Relationship Between Individual Differences in Gray Matter Volume and Religiosity and Mystical Experiences: A Pre-registered Voxel-based Morphometry Study
van Elk, M. & Snoek, L., (2019). The Relationship Between Individual Differences in Gray Matter Volume and Religiosity and Mystical Experiences: A Pre-registered Voxel-based Morphometry Study. European Journal of Neuroscience, 51(3), 850-865.
2019
The role of alcohol in expectancy-driven mystical experiences: a pre-registered field study using placebo brain stimulation
David L. R. Maij, Michiel van Elk & Uffe Schjoedt (2019) The role of alcohol in expectancy-driven mystical experiences: a pre-registered field study using placebo brain stimulation, Religion, Brain & Behavior, 9:2, 108-125, DOI: 10.1080/2153599X.2017.1403952
In the media
Apr 2024
Leiden University
Public Science Day Psychedelics 2024
Feb 2022
The New York Times
More People Are Microdosing for Mental Health. But Does It Work?
Feb 2022
Apr 2021
Oct 2020
Jan 2018
New Scientist
Awesome awe: The emotion that gives us superpowers