Information parity on cortical functional brain networks increases under psychedelic influences
arXiv Preprint Archive – July 28, 2022
Source: arXiv
Summary
Psychedelics like Ayahuasca can make different brain regions communicate more symmetrically, revealing new insights about consciousness. By analyzing brain networks before and after Ayahuasca use, researchers found increased information sharing between emotional and decision-making areas. Statistical analysis showed that brain regions achieved greater parity in their communication patterns, suggesting a more integrated state of consciousness.
Abstract
The physical basis of consciousness is one of the most intriguing open questions that contemporary science aims to solve. By approaching the brain as an interactive information system, complex network theory has greatly contributed to understand brain process in different states of mind. We study an non-ordinary state of mind by comparing resting-state functional brain networks of individuals in two different conditions: before and after the ingestion of the psychedelic brew Ayahuasca. In order to quantify the functional, statistical symmetries between brain region connectivity, we calculate the pairwise information parity of the functional brain networks. Unlike most of usual network quantification, which is done on a local or global scale, information parity quantifies the pairwise statistical similarities considering the entire network structure. We detect an increase in the average information parity on brain networks of individuals under psychedelic influences. Notably, the information parity between regions from the limbic system and frontal cortex is consistently higher for all the individuals while under the psychedelic influence.