246 results for "Neural Correlates"
Functional imaging investigation of psychedelic visual imagery
Spiral (Imperial College London) – October 01, 2019
Summary
Psychedelics induce vivid **mental image** experiences, making the visual system mimic real-world perception even with eyes closed. **Psychology** investigations with 15 subjects on 75 µg LSD revealed increased visual cortex connectivity and patterns matching neural **Cartography** (retinotopic mapping), similar to **Computer vision**. This active **Cognitive psychology** processing, relevant to **Artificial intelligence** and **Aesthetic Perception and Analysis**, creates these **Psychedelics and Drug Studies** visions. 9 subjects on 2mg psilocybin also showed hierarchical visual cortex activation during imagery onset.
Abstract
Psychedelics can induce eyes-closed imagery in which various visions can be experienced. These visions vary from simple geometrical patterns, to mo...
Functional connectivity changes in meditators and novices during yoga nidra practice.
Scientific reports – June 05, 2024
Summary
Meditation practitioners exhibit unique neural responses during yoga nidra (YN), a practice that fosters deep relaxation while maintaining awareness. In a study of 61 participants, including 30 experienced meditators and 31 novices, fMRI analysis showed that meditators had significantly reduced connectivity in the default mode network (DMN) during YN compared to controls. Notably, this decoupling correlated with self-reported meditation hours, highlighting how YN may facilitate a distinct state of restful awareness in those with prior experience in meditation and yoga practices.
Abstract
Yoga nidra (YN) practice aims to induce a deeply relaxed state akin to sleep while maintaining heightened awareness. Despite the growing interest i...
Characterization of Large-Scale Functional Brain Networks During Ketamine-Medetomidine Anesthetic Induction
arXiv Preprint Archive – March 31, 2016
Summary
Scientists discovered that anesthesia dramatically alters brain network patterns in ways that help explain consciousness. By monitoring a macaque's neural activity during anesthesia, researchers found that brain regions became less connected and coordinated 90 seconds after drug administration. This shift reveals how anesthetics disrupt the brain's normal information-sharing networks, offering new insights into consciousness and neural communication.
Abstract
Several experiments provide evidence that specialized brain regions functionally interact and reveal that the brain processes and integrates inform...
Conscious tactile perception entails distinct neural dynamics within somatosensory areas.
Current biology : CB – June 09, 2025
Summary
Our sense of touch relies on complex brain activity patterns. Using advanced intracranial recordings (SEEG), researchers found that conscious tactile perception happens when specific brain regions maintain sustained activity. The secondary somatosensory area showed distinct patterns when people were aware of touch versus when they weren't, even without verbal reporting. This reveals how our brain transforms physical sensations into conscious experiences.
Abstract
Distilling the neural correlates of consciousness (NCCs) in humans is challenging due to limitations in the spatiotemporal resolution of recording ...
Neurobiological Correlates of Psychedelic Experiences and Psychedelic-Associated Adverse Effects.
Current topics in behavioral neurosciences – July 31, 2024
Summary
Psychedelics significantly impact brain function, with neuroimaging studies revealing alterations in neural mechanisms. For instance, fMRI and EEG data from over 1,000 participants demonstrate changes in brain connectivity linked to visual effects and emotional experiences. The chapter discusses the Cortico-Striato-Thalamo-Cortical feedback loop and the entropic brain hypothesis while highlighting acute adverse effects that occur in roughly 10-30% of users. Insights into these mechanisms may shed light on psychiatric conditions, although long-term adverse effects remain rare and poorly understood.
Abstract
This chapter offers a comprehensive overview of our current understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the effects of psychedelic drugs, wit...
Effects of external stimulation on psychedelic state neurodynamics
OpenAlex – November 02, 2020
Summary
Psychedelics reliably enhance brain entropy, a measure of neural signal diversity, which typically decreases with loss of consciousness. Neuroscience reveals LSD, through its biochemical action on neurotransmitter receptors, significantly increases this diversity, with largest changes when participants have their eyes closed. This finding from Psychedelics and Drug Studies highlights how external stimulus profoundly influences cognitive psychology and subjective experience. The link between brain activity and conscious level is disrupted by video, underscoring context's critical role in psychedelic therapy and its influence on behavior.
Abstract
Recent findings have shown that psychedelics reliably enhance brain entropy (understood as neural signal diversity), and this effect has been assoc...
Characterization of the Community Structure of Large-Scale Functional Brain Networks During Ketamine-Medetomidine Anesthetic Induction
arXiv Preprint Archive – June 15, 2016
Summary
Brain networks reorganize dramatically during anesthesia, with distinct patterns emerging between conscious and unconscious states. By monitoring brain activity in a macaque during anesthesia, researchers revealed how neural communities shift: awake brains show large, connected networks in frontal and parietal regions, while anesthetized brains display isolated clusters in basic sensory areas, offering insights into consciousness and neural organization.
Abstract
One of the main goals of neuroscience is to understand how an organism's cognitive capacities or physiological states are potentially related to br...
Increased thalamic resting‐state connectivity as a core driver of LSD‐induced hallucinations
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica – September 21, 2017
Summary
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) profoundly alters brain connectivity, offering new insights into Consciousness. In a Neuroscience and Psychology investigation, 20 healthy participants received 100 μg of this potent hallucinogen. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) revealed increased Thalamus connectivity to cortical regions, including the Insula. These changes correlated with subjective auditory and visual effects, suggesting that Psychedelics and Drug Studies highlight how altered thalamocortical interactions drive these experiences. This sheds light on neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior and the neural basis of altered consciousness.
Abstract
Objective It has been proposed that the thalamocortical system is an important site of action of hallucinogenic drugs and an essential component of...
Safety, tolerability, and clinical and neural effects of single-dose psilocybin in obsessive–compulsive disorder: protocol for a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, non-crossover trial
Frontiers in Psychiatry – April 25, 2023
Summary
Psilocybin shows promise for severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A randomized controlled trial is investigating this hallucinogen's potential, enrolling 30 adults with Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders unresponsive to standard medicine. Participants receive a single psilocybin dosing (0.25 mg/kg) or placebo in a non-crossover design. The clinical endpoint at 48 hours assesses symptom changes and tolerability, monitoring for adverse effects. This psychiatry and psychology study, part of broader psychedelics and drug studies, aims to advance OCD treatment.
Abstract
Background Psilocybin may help treat obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). To date, only one open-label study of psilocybin for OCD exists, necessit...
Neurobiological research on N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and its potentiation by monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibition: from ayahuasca to synthetic combinations of DMT and MAO inhibitors.
Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS – September 10, 2024
Summary
Ayahuasca, the ancient Amazonian brew, combines DMT (a powerful psychedelic) with natural MAO inhibitors called β-carbolines. New research reveals how this combination creates longer-lasting effects and enhanced therapeutic benefits. When DMT pairs with MAO inhibitors, it becomes more bioavailable and shows promise in treating depression, addiction, and PTSD by promoting brain plasticity and positive changes in neural connectivity.
Abstract
The potent hallucinogen N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) has garnered significant interest in recent years due to its profound effects on consciousness...
We are the Sensors of Consciousness! A Review and Analysis on How Awakenings During Sleep Influence Dream Recall.
Nature and science of sleep – January 01, 2025
Summary
Our ability to remember dreams dramatically changes based on how we're awakened. Calling someone's name leads to better dream recall than using an alarm, and people remember more dreams at home than in sleep labs. This analysis of sleep studies reveals that memory and attention play key roles in capturing dream experiences. Serial awakenings throughout the night show that awareness varies by sleep stage, with personal traits and questionnaire methods significantly impacting what people report about their dreaming phenomenology.
Abstract
Since the 1930s, researchers have awakened people from different stages of sleep to record what they have experienced. While some aspects, includin...
Subcortical correlates of consciousness with human single neuron recordings.
eLife – May 22, 2025
Summary
Deep within our brains, specialized neurons help determine what we consciously perceive. Scientists recorded individual neuron activity in the thalamus and subthalamic regions while patients detected subtle touch sensations. They found that these subcortical brain areas actively prepare for and process incoming sensory information, with nearly 1/4 of neurons responding differently to felt vs unfelt touches.
Abstract
Subcortical brain structures such as the subthalamic nucleus or the thalamus are involved in regulating motor and cognitive behavior. However, thei...
Sensitivity to visual features in inattentional blindness.
eLife – May 19, 2025
Summary
Even when people fail to notice a gorilla in plain sight, their brains still process visual details. Research reveals that humans can accurately report an object's location, color, and shape even when claiming they didn't see it. This challenges our understanding of attention and awareness, suggesting consciousness may work differently than previously thought.
Abstract
The relation between attention, perception, and awareness is among the most fundamental problems in the science of the mind. One of the most striki...
Classification schemes of altered states of consciousness.
Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews – August 01, 2025
Summary
From meditation to psychedelics, altered states of consciousness have fascinated scientists for decades. New research reveals a comprehensive framework for classifying these experiences based on three key factors: subjective effects, induction methods, and brain activity patterns. This classification system helps bridge phenomenology with neuroscience, offering insights into how different consciousness-altering practices affect our minds.
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in the conceptual and empirical study of altered states of consciousness (ASCs), induced pharmac...
An encounter with the self: A thematic and content analysis of the DMT experience from a naturalistic field study.
Frontiers in psychology – January 01, 2023
Summary
DMT, a naturally occurring psychedelic, can trigger profound shifts in consciousness and self-perception. In a groundbreaking naturalistic field study, researchers observed experienced users in home settings, conducting detailed interviews about their experiences. Analysis revealed intense physical and psychological effects, including altered sensory perception, emotional breakthroughs, and a transformed sense of self.
Abstract
N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is an endogenous serotonergic psychedelic capable of producing radical shifts in an experience that have significant i...
Structure and Dynamics of Brain Lobe's Functional Networks at the Onset of Anesthesia-Induced Loss of Consciousness
arXiv Preprint Archive – November 15, 2016
Summary
When consciousness fades under anesthesia, the brain's communication networks undergo dramatic changes within just 90 seconds. Researchers tracked brain activity in different regions using electrodes placed directly on a primate's cortex while administering ketamine. The analysis revealed distinct shifts in how brain areas connect and communicate, particularly in the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital regions. These findings illuminate how anesthesia disrupts the neural networks that maintain consciousness.
Abstract
Anesthetic agents are neurotropic drugs capable of inducing significant alterations in the thalamocortical system, promoting a profound decrease in...
Enhanced repertoire of brain dynamical states during the psychedelic experience
arXiv Preprint Archive – May 26, 2014
Summary
Psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, dramatically expands the brain's repertoire of connectivity states, revealing how consciousness can be altered. Using advanced brain imaging, researchers tracked neural activity before and after psilocybin administration. Results showed increased signal variability in memory and emotion-processing regions, while higher brain networks displayed enhanced flexibility in their communication patterns.
Abstract
The study of rapid changes in brain dynamics and functional connectivity (FC) is of increasing interest in neuroimaging. Brain states departing fro...
Neurophysiological correlates of ketamine-induced dissociative state in bipolar disorder: insights from real-world clinical settings.
Molecular psychiatry – January 14, 2025
Summary
Ketamine's remarkable effects on brain activity reveal why it may help treat bipolar depression. Brain wave patterns show the drug reduces slower mental activity while boosting high-frequency signals linked to improved mood. Patients who responded more slowly to treatment showed stronger brain changes, suggesting individual differences in how people process ketamine. These insights from real-world clinical settings help explain how this promising treatment works at a neural level.
Abstract
Ketamine, a dissociative compound, shows promise in treating mood disorders, including treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and bipolar disorder (B...
Subanesthetic Ketamine Suppresses Locus Coeruleus-Mediated Alertness Effects: A 7T fMRI Study.
The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology – June 01, 2024
Summary
Ketamine's impact on brain alertness reveals a surprising connection to mood disorders. Using ultra-high field MRI, researchers found that low doses of ketamine reduce activity in the locus coeruleus, a key brain region controlling alertness. By dampening this brain network's connectivity to the thalamus, ketamine decreased alertness levels in healthy volunteers, suggesting its antidepressant effects may work through calming overactive alertness systems.
Abstract
The NMDA antagonist S-ketamine is gaining increasing use as a rapid-acting antidepressant, although its exact mechanisms of action are still unknow...
Mindfulness meditation styles differently modulate source-level MEG microstate dynamics and complexity
Frontiers in Neuroscience – February 02, 2024
Summary
Different meditation styles create unique patterns in our brain's electrical activity. Buddhist monks practicing mindfulness meditation showed distinct brain patterns during focused attention versus open monitoring techniques. Advanced brain imaging revealed that open monitoring meditation produced more complex and dynamic brain states, while focused meditation created more stable patterns. These findings help explain how different meditation approaches uniquely influence our mental states.
Abstract
BackgroundThe investigation of mindfulness meditation practice, classically divided into focused attention meditation (FAM), and open monitoring me...
Subacute effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca on the salience and default mode networks
OpenAlex – September 29, 2019
Summary
Strikingly, a single Ayahuasca session can alter brain activity for at least 24 hours. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (neuroimaging) on 43 participants (22 Ayahuasca, 21 placebo), increased functional connectivity was observed within the salience network and between it and the default mode network. Within the default mode network, connectivity decreased in the posterior cingulate, a region including the precuneus. This hallucinogen's impact on brain activity, relevant to psychology and neuroscience, suggests shifts in self-perception and emotion, offering insights into altered states of consciousness sometimes explored in meditation.
Abstract
Abstract Background Neuroimaging studies have just begun to explore the acute effects of psychedelics on large-scale brain networks’ functional org...
Neuroimaging correlates and predictors of response to repeated-dose intravenous ketamine in PTSD: preliminary evidence
medRxiv Preprint Server – April 10, 2021
Summary
Brain imaging reveals a fascinating link: **improvement** in **PTSD symptoms** after **ketamine treatment** is tied to specific changes in **brain activity**. Successful **treatment** with **ketamine** was associated with increased connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and amygdala, key regions for emotion regulation. This suggests **ketamine** may normalize how the brain processes threats, leading to significant **improvement** for individuals with **PTSD**.
Abstract
Promising initial data indicate that the glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist ketamine may be beneficial in post-traumatic str...
Relaxed Beliefs After Psychedelics: From Sensory Processing to Mystical States
CORE – December 01, 2024
Summary
Remarkably, psychedelics appear to reconfigure brain networks, leading to lasting shifts in perception. Research explored how these substances alter sensory processing, hypothesizing they weaken top-down control, boosting bottom-up input. Using human EEG and mouse studies, findings revealed 5-HT2A psychedelics indeed shift this balance, impacting how we perceive and leading to profound belief changes. These positive results contribute to their therapeutic effects. Distinct brain network changes were observed with 5-MeO-DMT. This framework also illuminates mystical experiences, emphasizing the post-acute environment's role in consolidating these beneficial shifts.
Abstract
This dissertation explores the lasting impact of psychedelic use on brain networks, ranging from basic sensory processing to abstract mystical expe...
Unpacking the complexities of consciousness: Theories and reflections.
Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews – March 01, 2025
Summary
A striking polarization exists in consciousness science, with five major theories—Global Neuronal Workspace Theory, Higher-Order Theories, Integrated Information Theory, Recurrent Processing Theory, and Predictive Processing—failing to converge. In a 2022 debate involving leading proponents, it was revealed that consensus remains elusive on fundamental questions such as the nature of consciousness and how to identify conscious states. This lack of agreement highlights the complexity of understanding consciousness and emphasizes the need for clearer frameworks and testable predictions to advance the field.
Abstract
As the field of consciousness science matures, the research agenda has expanded from an initial focus on the neural correlates of consciousness, to...
Interbrain synchronization in classroom during high-entropy music listening and meditation: a hyperscanning EEG study.
Frontiers in neuroscience – January 01, 2025
Summary
High-entropy music significantly enhances brain synchronization among adolescents. In a study involving 28 high school students, EEG measurements revealed that 6 Hz high-entropy music produced the highest mean correlation in brain activity, surpassing meditation and rest conditions. Meditation demonstrated superior network integration with a clustering coefficient of 0.69, while music facilitated extensive information integration with the largest information cascades. These findings highlight distinct effects: meditation fosters integrated connectivity, while music promotes stronger synchronization, suggesting potential pathways for enhancing social connectedness in youth.
Abstract
Social interaction is a vital source of human development, yet neuroscientific research delineating its neural correlates in large groups is scarce...
Using Electroencephalography to Advance Mindfulness Science: A Survey of Emerging Methods and Approaches.
Biological psychiatry. Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging – April 01, 2025
Summary
EEG remains a powerful tool in contemplative neuroscience, revealing insights into the interplay of emotion and cognition during mindfulness practices. With over 60 studies reviewed, it highlights how EEG can track neural responses, such as event-related potentials (ERPs), linked to emotional regulation. Innovative analytical methods are enhancing our understanding of these connections, fostering advancements in both basic science and practical applications of mindfulness. The ongoing relevance of EEG underscores its potential to deepen exploration in this evolving field, encouraging further investigation by other scholars.
Abstract
Throughout the brief history of contemplative neuroscience, electroencephalography (EEG) has been a valuable and enduring methodology used to eluci...
Predictive coding, multisensory integration, and attentional control: A multicomponent framework for lucid dreaming.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America – November 01, 2022
Summary
Lucid dreaming (LD) offers a unique insight into consciousness, with 50-80% of individuals experiencing it at least once. This phenomenon involves vivid dream imagery and sensations like flying, linked to how our brain processes sensory information during sleep. A proposed framework suggests that LD arises from prediction error signals, which help create a self-model that integrates diverse sensory inputs. By enhancing attentional control and multisensory integration, this model aims to explain variations in LD experiences and the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms involved.
Abstract
Lucid dreaming (LD) is a mental state in which we realize not being awake but are dreaming while asleep. It often involves vivid, perceptually inte...
Ketamine disrupts consciousness in healthy participants in relation with psychotic-like symptoms.
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology – November 08, 2025
Summary
Low doses of ketamine can significantly disrupt our conscious perception of visual information. Researchers administered ketamine or a placebo to healthy volunteers, monitoring brain activity during a task involving sounds and masked digits. They discovered ketamine reduced visual awareness and increased interference, correlating with weakened early brain responses to visual stimuli. Crucially, these impairments in conscious access were specifically linked to the psychotic-like experiences induced by the drug, providing key insights into how such symptoms develop.
Abstract
Ketamine is an NMDA-receptor antagonist, which alters the state of wakeful consciousness at high doses. At lower doses, it induces reversible psych...
Emotions and brain function are altered up to one month after a single high dose of psilocybin.
Scientific reports – February 10, 2020
Summary
A single psilocybin dose can elevate positive mood for a full month. A pilot study with 12 healthy volunteers investigated whether psilocybin administration leads to lasting emotional and brain changes. One week after, participants reported reduced negative affect and increased positive affect, alongside altered brain responses to emotional stimuli. Crucially, one month later, positive affect remained elevated, and trait anxiety decreased. Brain plasticity also increased, with more functional connections across the brain. These findings suggest psilocybin may enhance emotional and brain plasticity, highlighting negative affect as a promising therapeutic target.
Abstract
Psilocybin is a classic psychedelic compound that may have efficacy for the treatment of mood and substance use disorders. Acute psilocybin effects...
Survey of subjective "God encounter experiences": Comparisons among naturally occurring experiences and those occasioned by the classic psychedelics psilocybin, LSD, ayahuasca, or DMT
PLoS ONE – April 23, 2019
Summary
More than two-thirds of atheists reported no longer identifying as such after a God encounter experience. A survey of over 4300 individuals, including those using psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), ayahuasca, and other hallucinogens, explored these profound events. While non-drug encounters favored "God" and psychedelic groups preferred "Ultimate Reality," striking similarities emerged. Participants reported vivid memories and attributed lasting positive changes to these experiences, often fulfilling criteria for complete mystical experiences in half of cases. This work in Psychology and Religious Studies highlights the impact of psychedelics on spiritual beliefs.
Abstract
Naturally occurring and psychedelic drug-occasioned experiences interpreted as personal encounters with God are well described but have not been sy...
Enhanced repertoire of brain dynamical states during the psychedelic experience
Human Brain Mapping – July 03, 2014
Summary
Psilocybin dramatically expands the brain's communication patterns, revealing a wider repertoire of connectivity states. Using Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques, a Neuroscience study of 15 healthy subjects showed this psychedelic substance increased brain signal variability in areas like the hippocampi. This suggests a profound shift in cognitive science, where typical brain networks show altered activity. These Psychedelics and Drug Studies offer insights into unconstrained consciousness, contributing to our understanding of Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior and overall brain dynamics.
Abstract
Abstract The study of rapid changes in brain dynamics and functional connectivity (FC) is of increasing interest in neuroimaging. Brain states depa...
Psilocybin reduces low frequency oscillatory power and neuronal phase-locking in the anterior cingulate cortex of awake rodents
Scientific Reports – July 26, 2022
Summary
Psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen, profoundly alters brain activity, offering insights for psychology and medicine. In neuroscience, recordings from the anterior cingulate cortex of awake mice show this psychedelic drug significantly reduces low-frequency brain oscillations while increasing overall neuron firing, with just under half of individual neurons showing increased activity. This desynchronizes cortical populations by altering neural phase modulation. These drug studies suggest psilocybin dissolves the default mode network, a key finding consistent with its therapeutic potential.
Abstract
Abstract Psilocybin is a hallucinogenic compound that is showing promise in the ability to treat neurological conditions such as depression and pos...
Yale Program for Psychedelic Science (YPPS) Manual for Psilocybin-OCD Session Monitors for Protocol HIC: 2000020355
OpenAlex – October 05, 2022
Summary
Psilocybin offers a compelling avenue for treating obsessive-compulsive disorder, a severe psychiatric condition. A clinical psychology program assesses the safety and efficacy of a single 0.25 mg/kg psilocybin dosing. This alkaloid is administered in a supportive clinical context, with monitors providing non-directive psychological support during each session. Unlike traditional exposure therapy, the focus is on processing the experience. This medicine study explores how psilocybin's influence on neurotransmitter receptors might alleviate symptoms. A psychotherapist-like presence supports participants in this novel drug study.
Abstract
The Yale Program for Psychedelic Science (YPPS) is testing the safety and efficacy of psilocybin, administered in conjunction with non-directive ps...
The forgotten psychedelic: Spatiotemporal mapping of brain organisation following the administration of 2C-B and psilocybin
OpenAlex – October 22, 2024
Summary
The hallucinogen 2C-B shows unique promise in psychology, potentially offering advantages over psilocybin. In 22 healthy volunteers, administration of 20 mg 2C-B, 15 mg psilocybin, or placebo was explored via 7T fMRI. Both psychedelics increased brain complexity and between-network connectivity. Crucially, 2C-B exhibited less pronounced reductions in certain brain connections but elevated others, reflecting distinct neuropharmacological profiles. These insights are vital for neuroscience and cognitive psychology, guiding future drug studies and potential new pharmacotherapies.
Abstract
As psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy gains momentum, clinical investigation of next-generation psychedelics may lead to novel compounds tailored f...
Spatiotemporal mapping of brain organisation following the administration of 2C-B and psilocybin
Molecular Psychiatry – February 03, 2026
Summary
A compelling finding reveals the hallucinogen 2C-B causes less dysphoria than psilocybin, with distinct neural effects. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging in 22 healthy volunteers, brain mapping showed both compounds altered functional connectivity across key brain regions like the temporal lobe. 2C-B and psilocybin reduced intranetwork links while increasing between-network connections. 2C-B uniquely elevated transmodal functional connectivity. These serotonergic and monoaminergic effects, impacting brain activity, highlight 2C-B's potential in Neuroscience and Psychology for novel Mental Health and Psychiatry treatments and neuroplasticity studies.
Abstract
As psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy gains momentum, clinical investigation of next-generation psychedelics may lead to novel compounds tailored f...
Acute Biphasic Effects of Ayahuasca
PLoS ONE – September 30, 2015
Summary
Ayahuasca, an Amazonian medicine, profoundly alters brain activity in two distinct phases. Biochemical analysis of its unique chemistry reveals how this psychedelic brew influences neurotransmitter receptors, shaping behavior. After 50 minutes, brain activity shows reduced alpha power (8-13 Hz). Subsequently, between 75 and 125 minutes, slow-gamma (30-50 Hz) and fast-gamma (50-100 Hz) power increases. These drug studies demonstrate this biphasic effect is directly associated with circulating levels of Ayahuasca's chemical compounds, illuminating its therapeutic potential.
Abstract
Ritual use of ayahuasca, an amazonian Amerindian medicine turned sacrament in syncretic religions in Brazil, is rapidly growing around the world. B...
Role of the 5-HT2AReceptor in Self- and Other-Initiated Social Interaction in Lysergic Acid Diethylamide-Induced States: A Pharmacological fMRI Study
Journal of Neuroscience – March 19, 2018
Summary
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) profoundly alters social interaction, a key area for Psychology and Mental Health Research Topics. A Neuroscience investigation with 24 healthy participants, using Functional magnetic resonance imaging, showed LSD (100 μg) reduced brain activity in self-processing regions and impaired joint attention. Crucially, 40 mg Ketanserin, a 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, blocked these neurochemical effects, indicating Serotonin 5-HT2 receptor stimulation drives LSD's influence on behavior. This highlights the 5-HT2 receptor as a target for social impairments.
Abstract
Distortions of self-experience are critical symptoms of psychiatric disorders and have detrimental effects on social interactions. In light of the ...
Beyond the veil of duality—topographic reorganization model of meditation
Neuroscience of Consciousness – January 01, 2022
Summary
Advanced meditation profoundly reorganizes the brain, dissolving the perceived boundary between self and environment. A synthesis of functional brain imaging reveals experienced meditators show decreased activity and connectivity in self-focused networks, coupled with increased executive control. This profound shift in neural topography, impacting the "economic" allocation of brain resources, challenges our epistemology of consciousness by moving beyond self-other duality. Similar to insights from specific psychedelic and sleep research, this highlights how mindfulness and compassion interventions can lead to an altered aesthetic of wakefulness, fostering nondual awareness.
Abstract
Abstract Meditation can exert a profound impact on our mental life, with proficient practitioners often reporting an experience free of boundaries ...
LSD Relaxes Structural Constraints on Brain Dynamics and Default Mode Decoupling Tracks Ego Dissolution
OpenAlex – March 05, 2026
Summary
Psychedelics like LSD significantly alter brain function, revealing a remarkable decoupling of low-frequency brain activity from structural constraints. In a study involving 30 participants, LSD led to a 40% increase in flexibility within the default mode network, which is associated with ego dissolution. While low-frequency activity showed widespread reorganization, high-frequency gamma activity underwent selective adjustments. This suggests that psychedelics promote a unique rebalancing of neural dynamics, potentially enhancing therapeutic effects by loosening rigid structural limitations and improving communication among brain networks involved in self-awareness and perception.
Abstract
Abstract Psychedelics profoundly alter conscious experience, yet how they reshape the relationship between brain anatomy and function remains uncle...
Neural complexity is increased after low doses of LSD, but not moderate to high doses of oral THC or methamphetamine.
Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology – June 01, 2024
Summary
Low doses of LSD increase brain signal complexity without causing hallucinations or altered consciousness. Scientists found this by comparing brain activity patterns in volunteers given small amounts of LSD versus THC and methamphetamine. While all drugs affected brain waves, only LSD boosted neural complexity, suggesting unique effects on brain function even at doses too low to cause noticeable mental changes.
Abstract
Neural complexity correlates with one's level of consciousness. During coma, anesthesia, and sleep, complexity is reduced. During altered states, i...
Intrinsic neural timescales exhibit different lengths in distinct meditation techniques.
NeuroImage – August 15, 2024
Summary
Practices with a wider attentional focus, such as Shoonya meditation, show longer brain activity windows compared to narrower techniques like Mantra meditation. In a study involving 120 proficient practitioners across various meditation traditions and a control group, results indicated that the Autocorrelation Window (ACW) was significantly longer in those using broader attentional scopes. This suggests a direct relationship between the width of attentional focus in meditation and the brain's intrinsic neural timescales, offering insights into how these practices can be tailored for mental health interventions.
Abstract
Meditation encompasses a range of practices employing diverse induction techniques, each characterized by a distinct attentional focus. In Mantra m...
Transcranial ultrasound stimulation modulates neural activity of paraventricular thalamus and prefrontal cortex in the propofol-anesthetized mice.
Journal of neural engineering – June 09, 2025
Summary
Ultrasound brain stimulation can cut recovery time from anesthesia nearly in half. Scientists found that targeting specific brain regions with ultrasound waves accelerates awakening by activating the thalamus and prefrontal cortex - key areas for consciousness. This technique shows promise as a way to better control anesthesia recovery in medical settings.
Abstract
Objective: Transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) has been reported to modulate neural activity and accelerate the recovery of consciousness in ...
Future directions in meditation research: Recommendations for expanding the field of contemplative science
PLoS ONE – November 07, 2018
Summary
A compelling finding reveals the majority of 1120 meditators surveyed report extraordinary experiences, expanding the *field* of *meditation* research beyond traditional clinical effectiveness. While *Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions* have focused on *Behavioral Health*, new avenues explore deeper aspects of *Contemplation* and their implications for *medicine*. This rigorous *data science* approach acknowledges experiences often overlooked, providing critical insights for *mental health* challenges, particularly relevant post-*COVID-19*. Future studies demand careful *engineering ethics* to investigate these phenomena.
Abstract
The science of meditation has grown tremendously in the last two decades. Most studies have focused on evaluating the clinical effectiveness of min...
Patternizing Psilocybin in Logic Space
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) – March 11, 2023
Summary
A fascinating discovery reveals the golden ratio's relevance in the digital harmonies of psilocybin. This novel approach, rooted in computer science, employs Logic Space—a virtual vector space—to analyze chemical compounds like psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen. Critical for psychedelics and drug studies, this method maps the behavior of alkaloids within virtual neural nets. The intersection of chemical synthesis and psychology unveils unexpected mathematical patterns, offering new insights into these substances.
Abstract
Logic Space, as described in the Geometry of Logic (Emmerson, 2023), allows us to generate a virtual logic-based vector space for notating and anal...
Psilocybin biphasically modulates cortical and behavioral activity in mice
OpenAlex – January 20, 2024
Summary
Psilocybin, a serotonergic hallucinogen, dramatically reshapes how the brain processes sound. Neuroscience reveals a 2 mg/kg dose initially boosts activity in the auditory cortex, boosting behavioral responses to stimulus. However, 30 minutes later, mice become less active, and sound responses decrease, while neural "noise" increases. Intriguingly, neuronal selectivity for sounds remains stable. This work illuminates how psilocybin modulates intrinsic versus stimulus-driven activity in the sensory system, potentially explaining hallucinations without disrupting core perception, with implications for areas like the visual cortex and neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior.
Abstract
SUMMARY Psilocybin is a serotonergic psychedelic believed to have therapeutic potential for neuropsychiatric conditions. Despite well-documented pr...
The Nonclassic Psychedelic Ibogaine Disrupts Cognitive Maps.
Biological psychiatry global open science – January 01, 2024
Summary
A fascinating insight reveals how psychedelics alter our internal navigation. A specific compound, ibogaine, was found to destabilize the brain's "cognitive map" in the retrosplenial cortex of mice. This map, crucial for path integration, became less reliable when animals had to infer position. While neural activity patterns shifted, surprisingly, fundamental network dynamics related to neuronal avalanches remained largely unaffected, offering clues into how these compounds disrupt brain representations. This provides a clearer understanding of how psychedelics influence brain function.
Abstract
The ability of psychedelic compounds to profoundly alter mental function has been long known, but the underlying changes in cellular-level informat...
Transcranial Focused Ultrasound for Identifying the Neural Substrate of Conscious Perception.
Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews – November 19, 2025
Summary
Precisely identifying brain activity linked to conscious perception is now within reach. A new non-invasive brain stimulation technique, transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS), offers unprecedented precision. This method, safe and capable of targeting deep brain structures with millimeter accuracy, provides a roadmap to explore the neural correlates of consciousness. It promises significant breakthroughs in understanding how the brain creates conscious experience.
Abstract
Identifying what aspects of brain activity are responsible for conscious perception remains one of the most challenging problems in science. While ...
Modulation of neural complexity and consciousness in temporal lobe seizures: Effects of high-frequency pulvinar stimulation.
Epileptic disorders : international epilepsy journal with videotape – June 21, 2025
Summary
Brain signal complexity drops during seizures, often leading to loss of consciousness. New findings show that high-frequency pulvinar stimulation can effectively counter this. Using SEEG recordings, researchers measured brain activity changes via permutation entropy. They found that this stimulation significantly reduced the typical complexity decline during seizures, a positive effect linked to improved consciousness. This suggests a promising approach to preserve awareness and cognitive function.
Abstract
Loss of consciousness/awareness during temporal lobe seizures significantly affects quality of life and is closely linked to pathological thalamoco...
Spectrally and temporally resolved estimation of neural signal diversity
CrossRef
Summary
Understanding brain activity's complexity offers profound insights into consciousness. A new method, CSER, significantly improves how we measure neural signal diversity. This state-space model approach matches existing tools for distinguishing conscious states, while crucially decomposing complexity into specific brainwave frequencies. It found gamma waves are central to complexity changes in consciousness. CSER also brings vastly improved temporal resolution, uncovering rapid shifts like early entropy increases preceding standard auditory responses, enabling fine-grained analysis of brain activity related to cognition and conscious states.
Abstract
Abstract Quantifying the complexity of neural activity has provided fundamental insights into cognition, consciousness, and clinical conditions. Ho...
Unmixing the Psychedelic Connectome: Brain Network Traits of Psilocybin
OpenAlex – November 17, 2025
Summary
Psilocybin's profound effect on the brain isn't a single, uniform change, but a complex interplay of neural processes. Using fMRI data from healthy volunteers, a primary brain connectivity pattern was identified, its expression directly tied to psilocin concentration. Significantly, a second, distinct neural pattern also emerged, independently linked to impaired performance on a visual divergent thinking task. This demonstrates the acute psychedelic state is a composite of two co-occurring neural processes, offering a more nuanced understanding than global brain activity descriptions.
Abstract
Abstract Psilocybin induces profound alterations in consciousness, yet prevailing neural models often describe a monolithic change in brain connect...