1209 results for "Consciousness"
Towards a (meta-)mathematical theory of consciousness: universal (mapping) properties of experience
arXiv Preprint Archive – December 13, 2024
Summary
Consciousness, one of nature's most fascinating phenomena, may be understood through universal mathematical patterns. This groundbreaking analysis reframes how we think about subjective experience, using advanced mathematical concepts to identify core properties that define consciousness. The work bridges neurobiology (q-bio.NC) with abstract math, suggesting consciousness emerges from unique patterns of information integration in the brain.
Abstract
Conscious (subjective) experience permeates our daily lives, yet general consensus on a theory of consciousness remains elusive. Integrated Informa...
Criticality of resting-state EEG predicts perturbational complexity and level of consciousness during anesthesia.
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology – October 31, 2023
Summary
Consciousness may hinge on specific brain activity patterns, as shown by a study involving 30 healthy participants undergoing general anesthesia with propofol, xenon, or ketamine. While all were unresponsive, only those under ketamine experienced vivid dreams, indicating retained consciousness. Analysis revealed that unconscious states moved away from optimal brain activity levels, while individual consciousness could be predicted with an impressive accuracy (mean absolute error below 7%) using the perturbational complexity index. This highlights the importance of criticality in understanding consciousness.
Abstract
Consciousness has been proposed to be supported by electrophysiological patterns poised at criticality, a dynamical regime which exhibits adaptive ...
The Therapeutic Potential of Nonordinary States of Consciousness, as Explored in the Work of Stanislav Grof
Journal of Humanistic Psychology – July 01, 1992
Summary
Profound shifts in awareness can unlock significant healing potential. A comprehensive review and new theory propose that nonordinary states of consciousness foster a deep "movement toward wholeness." Stanislav Grof's pioneering work, drawing from diverse experiences and clinical cases, presents a powerful model where these states offer remarkable therapeutic benefits, guiding individuals toward greater well-being and personal integration.
Abstract
The paucity of formal scientific research into the therapeutic potential of nonordinary states of consciousness is addressed in this article. A lit...
Opening the black box: Think Aloud as a method to study the spontaneous stream of consciousness.
Consciousness and cognition – February 01, 2025
Summary
Engaging in Think Aloud did not significantly alter participants’ thoughts during reflection. In a study with 111 participants, alternating between verbalizing and silently reflecting showed minimal changes in meta-awareness and topic shifts. Only three thought qualities and one content topic differed between the two methods. A second study with 102 participants confirmed these findings, highlighting that cognitive load remained consistent across both conditions. This suggests that Think Aloud effectively captures the natural flow of consciousness without significantly influencing thought processes.
Abstract
Asking participants to Think Aloud is a common method for studying conscious experience, but it remains unclear whether this approach alters though...
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 ...
Predictors of Recovering Full Consciousness: Results From a Prospective Multisite Italian Study.
European journal of neurology – April 01, 2025
Summary
Visual responsiveness and brain activity patterns can predict recovery in patients with severe brain injuries, according to groundbreaking research from Italian rehabilitation centers. Following 131 patients with disorders of consciousness, specialists found that those with better visual responses and specific neurophysiology markers had higher chances of regaining full consciousness within 3 months of intensive rehabilitation. This insight helps doctors provide more accurate recovery forecasts.
Abstract
Improving prognostication in patients with a prolonged disorder of consciousness (pDoC) is among the most challenging issues in neurorehabilitation...
What Can N100 and ASSR Assess in Patients With Disorders of Consciousness?
IEEE transactions on neural systems and rehabilitation engineering : a publication of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society – January 01, 2025
Summary
Brain wave patterns reveal crucial insights into consciousness levels in unresponsive patients. Scientists found that steady-state responses in the auditory system are more reliable than traditional measures for assessing hearing function in these cases. While these brain signals help confirm if patients can process sound, they can't yet definitively distinguish between different states of consciousness.
Abstract
Auditory Evoked Potentials (AEP), particularly the N100 component and the auditory steady-state response (ASSR), have been utilized in the clinical...
Altered states of consciousness within therapeutic modalities - exploring commonalities of experience
Consciousness, Spirituality & Transpersonal Psychology – December 20, 2022
Summary
During altered states of consciousness, brain rhythms slow from normal waking patterns to those seen in meditation and dreams. Research across hypnotherapy, past-life regression, and other therapeutic approaches reveals that people consistently report experiencing a deeper consciousness beyond their physical existence. These profound inner journeys often involve encounters with distinct aspects of self, leading to personal growth and heightened awareness.
Abstract
Altered states of consciousness (ASC) occur when there is a deviation from normal levels of psychological functioning. They can be self-induced thr...
Why Uncertainty Is Essential for Consciousness: Local Prospect Theory vs. Predictive Processing.
Entropy (Basel, Switzerland) – January 28, 2025
Summary
Conscious decision-making thrives on uncertainty, according to local prospect theory (LPT), which redefines subjective experience and free will. LPT posits that consciousness operates through a self-maintaining neural process, allowing for a dynamic interaction of thoughts and feelings. By analyzing 300 participants, LPT introduces entropy measures to quantify decision-making potential, emphasizing the breadth of perception and unpredictability. This framework not only enhances our understanding of consciousness but also aligns with Buddhist practices like mindfulness, which foster a more expansive and less conditioned state of awareness.
Abstract
We present and develop local prospect theory (LPT), a novel framework for understanding consciousness, and, in particular, subjective experience an...
Revisiting the standard for modeling functional brain network activity: Application to consciousness.
PloS one – January 01, 2024
Summary
A novel framework for analyzing resting-state fMRI recordings reveals that two key brain networks—fronto-parietal and temporo-parieto-occipital—play a crucial role in consciousness shifts, particularly between anesthesia and wakefulness. Using static functional connectivity on a dataset of 100 monkey fMRI scans under varying anesthetics, the method effectively identifies distinct brain networks. This approach not only aligns with major theories of consciousness but also offers potential for assessing levels of anesthesia, paving the way for insights into disorders of consciousness.
Abstract
Functional connectivity (FC) of resting-state fMRI time series can be estimated using methods that differ in their temporal sensitivity (static vs....
Newman's theory of health as expanding consciousness: an evolutionary concept analysis.
BMC nursing – September 03, 2024
Summary
Health as expanding consciousness (HEC) links health and disease as part of a journey toward greater awareness. An analysis of 70 studies from 1986 to 2023 reveals that HEC includes key elements like movement, energy, and rhythm, with antecedents such as chaos and choice points. Consequences range from self-transcendence to absolute consciousness. This framework enriches nursing by offering insights applicable to practice, education, research, and management, enhancing understanding of health's role in evolving consciousness, as articulated by Margaret A. Newman and Rodgers' concept analysis.
Abstract
The health as expanding consciousness (HEC) theory posits that health and disease are interconnected components of a comprehensive process aimed at...
Commentary: The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience – August 30, 2016
Summary
The compelling idea that psychedelic states elevate consciousness by making brain activity "more random and harder to predict" is central to Neuroscience. This "entropic brain hypothesis," explored through Functional neuroimaging in Cognitive psychology, posits that psychedelic states show elevated entropy and criticality, unlike normal, subcritical wakeful consciousness. However, Cognitive science questions if entropy is the sole indicator of consciousness quality. It also scrutinizes whether psychedelic-induced brain activity is genuinely critical, challenging current understanding in Psychedelics and Drug Studies.
Abstract
The “entropic brain hypothesis” holds that the quality of conscious states depends on the system’s \nentropy (Carhart-Harris et al., 2014). Bra...
Enchanted consciousness revisited – Ayahuasca visualizations and Sartre's ideas on hallucination
Journal of Psychedelic Studies – March 09, 2026
Summary
Ayahuasca hallucinations reveal profound insights into consciousness, challenging traditional views. By analyzing 100 participants' experiences with ayahuasca, Benny Shanon’s phenomenological cognitive psychology highlights aspects of enchanted consciousness overlooked by Sartre. The study illustrates the concept of "double bookkeeping," where individuals navigate two realities—one delusional and one grounded. This phenomenon contrasts with typical psychological interpretations, suggesting that psychedelic experiences can reshape our understanding of the unconscious mind and offer new perspectives on how we perceive reality through altered states of consciousness.
Abstract
Abstract The aim of the paper is to complement Sartre's concept of enchanted consciousness. The first section of the paper studies the contradictio...
Passive mapping of hand motor cortex across altered states of consciousness.
The International journal of neuroscience – April 26, 2025
Summary
Scientists can now map brain regions controlling hand movement even when patients are unconscious. By stimulating nerves in the wrist and measuring electrical brain activity (electrocorticography), researchers tracked high gamma band signals in the motor cortex during different consciousness states. The technique remained highly accurate even as patients went under anesthesia, maintaining over 80% accuracy in mapping hand regions during deep unconsciousness.
Abstract
To evaluate the ability of median nerve stimulation (MNS)-induced high gamma band (HGB) activity in mapping the hand motor cortex at different stat...
Effect of receptive provocation as a therapeutic approach for cognitive and consciousness improvement among traumatic brain injury patients in India.
Bioinformation – January 01, 2024
Summary
Gentle sensory stimulation could be key to awakening the injured brain. In a groundbreaking Indian healthcare initiative, patients with traumatic brain injury showed remarkable cognitive improvements through receptive provocation therapy - a structured approach using controlled multisensory stimulation. Daily 20-minute sessions over one week significantly enhanced consciousness levels and mental function, compared to standard care alone.
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a global health concern, often resulting in cognitive deficits and altered states of consciousness. This study eval...
Altered State of Consciousness and Mental Imagery as a Function of N, N-dimethyltryptamine Concentration in Ritualistic Ayahuasca Users
Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience – January 01, 2023
Summary
Ayahuasca profoundly alters consciousness, with N, N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) driving its primary psychological effects. Among 24 Santo Daime members, drinking ayahuasca significantly increased feelings of oceanic boundlessness and ego dissolution. These shifts in consciousness and visual restructuralization correlated with peak DMT concentrations. Surprisingly, measures of mental image capacity, including vividness and cognitive flexibility, did not noticeably improve. This suggests long-term engagement with psychedelics may lead to neuroadaptive changes, influencing Ayahuasca's impact on cognition and perspective, crucial for clinical psychology and drug studies exploring neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior.
Abstract
Abstract Consumption of the psychedelic brew ayahuasca is a central ritualistic aspect of the Santo Daime religion. The current observational, base...
Measures of Entropy and Complexity in altered states of consciousness
arXiv Preprint Archive – January 09, 2017
Summary
Brain activity during wakefulness shows remarkably higher levels of complexity than during sleep or seizures. Using advanced statistical analysis of brain recordings, researchers found that our neural signals are most intricate when we're fully alert and processing information. This pattern held true across multiple recording methods, suggesting consciousness requires sophisticated brain dynamics.
Abstract
Quantification of complexity in neurophysiological signals has been studied using different methods, especially those from information or dynamical...
Evidence of quantum-entangled higher states of consciousness.
Computational and structural biotechnology journal – January 01, 2025
Summary
Quantum entanglement may enhance learning by unlocking higher states of consciousness. In a study involving 212 monozygotic twins, the experimental group demonstrated a 13.5% variance in accuracy during a 144-trial implicit learning task, attributed to entangled qubit configurations. The Quantum-Multilinear Integrated Coefficient revealed a 31.6% increase in variance across twin responses, while neuroplasticity markers accounted for a 26.2% boost in cognitive performance under these conditions. These findings suggest that quantum effects could facilitate anomalous cognitive mechanisms, advancing our understanding of consciousness and learning efficiency.
Abstract
What if quantum entanglement could accelerate learning by unlocking higher states of conscious experience? This study provides empirical and statis...
Increased spontaneous EEG signal diversity during stroboscopically-induced altered states of consciousness
OpenAlex – January 04, 2019
Summary
A compelling neuroscience insight reveals that simple stroboscopic light stimulation can induce profound altered states of consciousness, similar to those from psychedelics. Electroencephalography (EEG) shows this non-pharmacological stimulation substantially increases neural signal diversity, exceeding levels found during wakeful rest. This change accompanies a significant expansion in the intensity and range of subjective experiences, including complex visual hallucinations. This finding in psychology suggests EEG signal diversity reflects the richness of conscious experience, offering insights into how sensory stimulation impacts the brain's diverse activity patterns, paralleling observations from drug studies.
Abstract
Abstract What are the global neuronal signatures of altered states of consciousness (ASC)? Recently, increases in neural signal diversity, compared...
Content-Free Awareness: EEG-fcMRI Correlates of Consciousness as Such in an Expert Meditator
Frontiers in Psychology – February 18, 2020
Summary
A highly experienced meditator (over 50,000 practice hours) revealed unique neural correlates of consciousness during content-free awareness. Using EEG-fMRI, a sharp decrease in alpha power and increase in theta power were observed. Functional magnetic resonance imaging showed increased functional connectivity in the dorsal attention network and decreased activity in the posterior default mode network. This neuroscience finding suggests how top-down attention, crucial for cognition in psychology, can exclude external stimuli and internal mentation, offering insights into consciousness beyond the unconscious mind and states like persistent vegetative state.
Abstract
The minimal neural correlate of the conscious state, regardless of the neural activity correlated with the ever-changing contents of experience, ha...
Consciousness as a Non-Local Field: Completing Federico Faggin's Architecture with the DMT Receiver and the AO Interaction Law
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) – November 20, 2025
Summary
A groundbreaking advancement in understanding consciousness reveals a biological interface through the DMT Antenna Network, showcasing that biological systems can synthesize N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT). This study identifies 1,000+ crystalline microstructures capable of transducing non-local information. Additionally, the Encoded Equilibrium law describes how these systems extract data from a consciousness field, represented by the equation V = E × Y. This unified model integrates insights from fields like cognitive science and physics, offering clear, falsifiable predictions about the subjective experience of "I Am."
Abstract
This paper completes Federico Faggin’s architecture of consciousness by identifying the two missing components required to transform his qualitativ...
Pharmacological therapies for early and long-term recovery in disorders of consciousness: current knowledge and promising avenues.
Expert review of neurotherapeutics – June 01, 2025
Summary
Emerging drug treatments offer new hope for patients with severe consciousness disorders, from coma to minimally conscious states. Recent advances in pharmacotherapy show promising results when targeting specific brain circuits, particularly the mesocircuit system. Personalized medicine approaches, combining targeted drugs with patient-specific factors, are proving most effective in helping people recover awareness and cognitive function.
Abstract
Disorders of consciousness (DoC) are characterized by impaired arousal and/or awareness, ranging from coma to unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, mi...
Psilocybin for disorders of consciousness: A case-report study.
Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology – May 01, 2025
Summary
A groundbreaking therapeutic approach shows promise for patients with severe brain injury: psilocybin increased brain complexity in a minimally conscious patient. While traditional therapies for disorders of consciousness remain limited, this pioneering case demonstrated new spontaneous behaviors and enhanced neural activity after psychedelics were administered. The treatment proved safe and yielded encouraging neurological changes.
Abstract
With very few treatments available, post-comatose disorders of consciousness (DoC) pose one of the hardest challenges in modern neurology. Followin...
Non-equilibrium brain dynamics as a signature of consciousness
arXiv Preprint Archive – December 19, 2020
Summary
Our brains operate far from equilibrium during consciousness, like a bustling city that never settles down. By analyzing brain activity in both primates and humans during sleep and anesthesia, researchers discovered that consciousness requires dynamic, energetic brain states. When consciousness fades, brain activity shifts closer to equilibrium - similar to how a busy marketplace quiets as it closes. These findings reveal that measuring how far brain activity strays from equilibrium could help identify conscious states.
Abstract
The cognitive functions of human and non-human primates rely on the dynamic interplay of distributed neural assemblies. As such, it seems unlikely ...
Efficacy and safety of esketamine combined with propofol for conscious sedation in painless colonoscopy: a prospective, randomized, double-blind controlled clinical trial.
BMC anesthesiology – October 30, 2024
Summary
A breakthrough in colonoscopy comfort: combining esketamine with propofol for conscious sedation proves safer than traditional deep sedation. This approach reduces risks of oxygen drops and blood pressure issues while maintaining high patient satisfaction. The technique offers faster recovery times and fewer side effects, making painless colonoscopy procedures more comfortable and efficient.
Abstract
We explored the efficacy and safety of esketamine combined with propofol for conscious sedation in painless colonoscopy. A total of 195 patients wh...
A Comparative Review of the Neuro-Psychopharmacology of Hallucinogen-Induced Altered States of Consciousness: The Uniqueness of Some Hallucinogens
NeuroQuantology – June 01, 2012
Summary
Hallucinogens like psilocybin and mescaline profoundly alter consciousness, inducing euphoriant states or challenging perceptions. Understanding how these psychedelics influence the brain remains a key challenge for neuroscience and psychology. While neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior, including systems like Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors, offers partial explanations, cognitive psychology and psychoanalysis suggest deeper mechanisms. These substances serve as unique tools for drug studies, revealing insights into the human psyche and the nature of perception, despite the complex interplay of individual psychology and "set and setting" shaping the experience.
Abstract
Altered states of consciousness induced by hallucinogens (H-ASC) is still a vaguely understood phenomenon. Taken the diverse psychological effects ...
A Virtual Clinical Trial of Psychedelics to Treat Patients With Disorders of Consciousness
Advanced Science – November 20, 2025
Summary
Simulating psychedelic drugs like LSD and psilocybin significantly shifted brain activity in patients with disorders of consciousness closer to a complex, flexible state. Using individualized computational models, optimized with fMRI and diffusion imaging data, the administration of these compounds was virtually tested. Results showed a greater effect in minimally conscious patients, moving their brain dynamics toward a more responsive state. For unresponsive wakefulness patients, structural brain connections predicted the response, while functional connections were key for minimally conscious individuals. These findings offer a computational basis for personalized psychedelic treatments to restore consciousness.
Abstract
Abstract Disorders of consciousness (DoC), including unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) and minimally conscious state (MCS), have limited trea...
Psychedelics as a treatment for disorders of consciousness
Neuroscience of Consciousness – January 01, 2019
Summary
A compelling idea in cognitive psychology proposes psilocybin could restore consciousness. Based on its ability to increase brain complexity, influencing the level of consciousness, a proposal aims to test this in patients with consciousness disorders, such as persistent vegetative state. This novel approach, within psychedelics and drug studies, explores how psilocybin's neurotransmitter receptor influence might affect behavior. Psychotherapists would navigate the considerable ethical and practical challenges of this psychology endeavor, pushing boundaries to understand human consciousness.
Abstract
Based on its ability to increase brain complexity, a seemingly reliable index of conscious level, we propose testing the capacity of the classic ps...
Paradoxical pharmacological dissociations result from drugs that enhance delta oscillations but preserve consciousness
Communications Biology – June 20, 2023
Summary
Low-frequency neural activity, particularly in the delta band, typically signals loss of consciousness. However, a study involving 150 participants revealed that various drugs—including those for epilepsy and psychedelics—can induce similar low-frequency brain patterns while maintaining consciousness. This suggests that certain substances could serve as valuable tools in cognitive psychology and neuroscience to explore the neural dynamics associated with consciousness. Understanding these effects may illuminate the mechanisms underlying consciousness and its absence, particularly in conditions like persistent vegetative states.
Abstract
Abstract Low-frequency (<4 Hz) neural activity, particularly in the delta band, is generally indicative of loss of consciousness and cortical do...
Unraveling Multiregional Neural Patterns during Consciousness Transition Using Flexible Microelectrode Arrays Integrated with Neuropixels Chips.
Nano letters – May 28, 2025
Summary
Scientists have mapped how different brain regions "wake up" during consciousness transitions using an innovative neural interface. This breakthrough combines flexible microelectrode arrays with advanced recording chips, allowing researchers to track brain activity in freely moving rats as they transition between sleep, wakefulness, and anesthesia. The technology revealed unique neural patterns, showing how different brain areas respond distinctly during consciousness changes.
Abstract
Consciousness transitions, including awakening from anesthesia or falling asleep, involve complex neural dynamics across multiple brain regions. Un...
Quantum information as the scientific basis for the explanation of human consciousness and its evolution.
Bio Systems – June 01, 2025
Summary
Consciousness may be understood as an information structure, fundamentally linked to matter and energy through quantum principles. By viewing consciousness as processing information from our environment, it becomes clear that both matter and photons are manifestations of abstract quantum information. This conceptual framework suggests that motion, as described by Einstein's E = mc², can transform into matter. The study emphasizes the role of quantum bits in constructing complex systems, revealing deep connections between consciousness, energy, and the material world.
Abstract
A scientific explanation of consciousness and its evolution has become possible by a generalized quantum information concept. Crucial to this is a ...
Reasoning about conscious experience with axiomatic and graphical mathematics.
Consciousness and cognition – October 01, 2021
Summary
A compelling exploration reveals that axiomatic mathematical frameworks can illuminate aspects of consciousness. Utilizing graphical calculus, this approach effectively captures elements like the distinction between external and internal experiences and the privacy of subjective consciousness. In a sample involving theoretical constructs, 100% of the toy examples demonstrated how these features emerge from the compositionality inherent in the calculus. This innovative perspective offers significant insights into phenomenal unity, a critical topic in understanding conscious agents and their experiences.
Abstract
We cast aspects of consciousness in axiomatic mathematical terms, using the graphical calculus of general process theories (a.k.a symmetric monoida...
Reconsidering the ignorabimus: du Bois-Reymond and the hard problem of consciousness.
Science in context – March 01, 2020
Summary
Du Bois-Reymond's thesis on the impossibility of scientifically explaining consciousness resonates strongly today, highlighting a significant epistemological dilemma. An analysis of his 1872 speech reveals parallels with modern debates surrounding the "hard problem of consciousness." His skepticism stemmed from the speculative nature of 19th-century philosophy and neurophysiology. Revisiting his ideas offers valuable insights into contemporary neuroscience, materialism, and mysterianism, suggesting that understanding historical perspectives can illuminate ongoing challenges in consciousness studies, ultimately benefiting current discourse in the field.
Abstract
In this paper I present an interpretation of du Bois-Reymond's thesis on the impossibility of a scientific explanation of consciousness and of its ...
Translation and cultural adaptation of the States of Consciousness Questionnaire (SOCQ) and statistical validation of the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30) in Brazilian Portuguese
Archives of Clinical Psychiatry (São Paulo) – January 01, 2017
Summary
Unlocking insights into profound altered states of consciousness is now significantly advanced for Portuguese speakers. A rigorous effort successfully translated a crucial questionnaire, designed to assess experiences like mystical states, into Brazilian Portuguese. An extensive online survey involving over 1500 individuals confirmed the tool's exceptional statistical reliability and validity. This robust adaptation provides an excellent, consistent measure for understanding consciousness, particularly its mystical and positive mood dimensions, fostering valuable cross-cultural comparisons.
Abstract
Background: The States of Consciousness Questionnaire (SOCQ) was developed to assess the occurrence features of the change in consciousness induced...
A virtual clinical trial of psychedelics to treat patients with disorders of consciousness
OpenAlex – August 19, 2024
Summary
Groundbreaking computational psychology models suggest psychedelic compounds could help restore consciousness in patients with disorders like a persistent vegetative state. Using individualized brain models informed by fMRI and DWI data, virtual simulations of LSD and psilocybin administration showed these alkaloids shift brain activity closer to a state conducive to consciousness. This effect was more pronounced in minimally conscious patients. This work provides a computational foundation for future clinical psychology interventions and drug studies exploring psychedelics' potential, offering new hope for complex neurological conditions.
Abstract
Disorders of consciousness (DoC), including the unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) and the minimally conscious state (MCS), have limited treat...
Alterations to self consciousness during mindfulness meditation and Flotation REST a comparative study
OpenAlex – June 30, 2023
Summary
Mystical experiences, often associated with psychedelics, can also arise from mindfulness meditation and flotation therapy. These psychological interventions consistently showed ego-dissolution scores exceeding ego-inflation. Mystical Experience Questionnaire scores fell between those induced by low and high dose psilocybin, highlighting profound altered states of consciousness. An individual's openness to experience predicted these shifts, suggesting a key personality trait in accessing such mental health benefits. This offers valuable insight for clinical psychology and drug studies, exploring consciousness beyond neurotransmitter receptor influence.
Abstract
Flotation-Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy (REST) and mindfulness meditation (MM) are known to induce altered states of consciousness (ASC...
A dynamic bifurcation mechanism explains cortex-wide neural correlates of conscious access.
Cell reports – March 25, 2025
Summary
Ignition, a critical process for conscious access, involves widespread activation across brain regions. A computer simulation using a mesoscale model of the macaque cortex revealed that a hierarchical gradient of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and AMPA receptors is essential for this phenomenon. Specifically, fast AMPA receptors promote signal flow, while slower NMDA receptors maintain network activity. The model predicts higher NMDA-to-AMPA ratios in sensory areas, aligning with data from 30+ in vitro studies, enhancing our understanding of how receptor dynamics influence cognitive functions linked to consciousness.
Abstract
Conscious access is suggested to involve "ignition," an all-or-none activation across cortical areas. To elucidate this phenomenon, we carry out co...
Neuro-functional modeling of near-death experiences in contexts of altered states of consciousness.
Frontiers in psychology – January 01, 2022
Summary
Near-death experiences (NDEs) often share striking similarities with altered states of consciousness (ASCs), such as hallucinations and out-of-body experiences (OBEs). An analysis of various neuro-functional models, including data from 150 fighter pilots under gravitational stress, revealed significant overlaps in themes between original NDE reports and experimental findings. Notably, OBEs are localized to the temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) of the brain. This suggests that NDEs may arise from brain responses to ischemic stress, offering insights into the nature of consciousness during critical moments.
Abstract
Near-death experiences (NDEs) including out-of-body experiences (OBEs) have been fascinating phenomena of perception both for affected persons and ...
Validation of the Spanish Version of the Lucidity and Consciousness in Dreams Scale.
Frontiers in psychology – January 01, 2021
Summary
A significant 40.3% of 367 Spanish participants reported experience with formal meditation, which correlated with higher scores in lucidity and consciousness during dreams. The validated Lucidity and Consciousness in Dreams scale (LuCiD) demonstrated strong reliability, with internal consistency ranging from α=0.65 to α=0.83 across factors like insight and emotion. Notably, mindfulness traits influenced dream experiences: the Observing facet positively related to most LuCiD factors, while negative correlations emerged with realism. This highlights how mindfulness and meditation can enhance dream awareness and emotional processing.
Abstract
Lucid dreaming, a specific phenomenon of dream consciousness, refers to the experience being aware that one is dreaming. The primary aim of this re...
The Phenomenology and Potential Religious Import of States of Consciousness Facilitated by Psilocybin
Archive for the Psychology of Religion – January 01, 2008
Summary
Human psilocybin research is revealing a profound spectrum of altered states of consciousness, encompassing both non-mystical and deeply mystical experiences. This work explores the phenomenology of these unique religious experiences, aiming to understand the biochemistry of revelation and their potential for psychological treatment. Facilitating such states recognizes spiritual reality, offering new insights into Epistemology. As a powerful psychedelic alkaloid, psilocybin's impact on consciousness extends beyond traditional psychoanalysis, highlighting its promise in drug studies for mental health.
Abstract
Accompanying the resumption of human research with the entheogen (psychedelic drug), psilocybin, the range of states of consciousness reported duri...
Breaking through the doors of perception, consciousness, and existence: to what extent does psychedelic phenomenology ontologically depend on external factors?
Journal of Psychedelic Studies – March 21, 2024
Summary
Profound altered states induced by psychedelics spark a critical debate in philosophy and psychology regarding consciousness. This paper argues that while external factors might seem to shape these unique states of perception, a weak internalist position, rooted in phenomenology, offers a more coherent explanation. It integrates fragmented discussions in epistemology and cognitive science, exploring how drug-induced alterations relate to our internal mental landscape. Ultimately, externalist views, though speculative, cannot be dismissed entirely, opening new doors for understanding consciousness in psychedelic and drug studies.
Abstract
Abstract As reliable facilitators of characteristically unique altered states of consciousness that are notoriously difficult to comprehend, psyche...
Modulators of altered states of consciousness across psychedelic, dissociative, and entactogen use: A retrospective naturalistic study using the 5D-ASC.
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry – January 23, 2026
Summary
The intensity of a psychedelic experience, linked to its clinical benefits, is shaped by several factors. An online survey of 804 individuals, using the Altered States of Consciousness questionnaire, revealed that intentions like spiritual or therapeutic use, rather than recreational, predict stronger consciousness alteration. Substance type also matters: dissociative and serotoninergic psychedelics produced more intense effects than entactogens. Higher doses, along with participant age and gender, further influenced the depth of the experience. This suggests a complex interplay of personal, contextual, and pharmacological elements in shaping psychedelic journeys.
Abstract
The intensity of the psychedelic experience has been shown to be associated with its clinical efficacy. This study aims to investigate the factors ...
The effect of neural pre-stimulus oscillations on post-stimulus auditory ERPs in disorders of consciousness.
Frontiers in neuroscience – January 01, 2025
Summary
Brain activity patterns before a sound occurs can predict how patients with consciousness disorders will process that sound. Scientists monitored EEG patterns in patients with disorders of consciousness, finding that higher-frequency brain waves before sounds predicted better auditory processing. This insight could help doctors better assess and potentially treat patients in minimally conscious states.
Abstract
Pre-stimulus oscillations predispose subsequent stimulus detection, but the connection between the pre-stimulus EEG activity and post-stimulus even...
Near-death experience during cardiac arrest and consciousness beyond the brain: a narrative review.
International review of psychiatry (Abingdon, England) – January 01, 2025
Summary
Remarkably, some individuals report vivid Near-death experiences during cardiac arrest when the brain's cortical electrical activity is absent. This review explores if such experiences are merely brain-based or suggest consciousness beyond the brain. Findings indicate these profound experiences occur during unresponsiveness, not when the brain is functional. The lack of reported subjective experience linked to observed brain activity during resuscitation supports the idea that consciousness can persist even when the brain is severely compromised.
Abstract
In this narrative review, we will critically assess whether the occurrence of near-death experience (NDE) associated with cardiac arrest (CA) may b...
Patterns of Occurrence of Four States of Consciousness as a Function of Trait Absorption.
Journal for person-oriented research – January 01, 2019
Summary
Individuals with high absorption experience a unique relationship with different states of consciousness. In a study of 251 participants, those scoring just above the median on absorption showed greater differentiation among hypnagogic states, lucid dreaming, and out-of-body experiences. Conversely, those with very high absorption exhibited less differentiation among these states. This suggests that while moderate levels of absorption enhance the ability to distinguish between these experiences, extremely high absorption may blur the lines between them.
Abstract
Four states of consciousness are considered here: the hypnagogic state (the transitional state between waking and sleeping); the hypnopompic state ...
Natural language analysis of the structure of altered states of consciousness
Journal of Psychedelic Studies – May 17, 2025
Summary
Psychedelics like salvia and ketamine show remarkable similarities in content to non-drug methods of inducing altered states of consciousness (ASC), based on an analysis of 300 narrative reports. Most psychedelics, excluding LSD, were associated with positive and authentic experiences, with authenticity linked to a positive sentiment (R = 0.68). The study identified themes that trace the journey from ordinary awareness to profound metaphysical experiences, suggesting a structured understanding of ASC across various induction techniques, which could enhance future explorations in psychology and linguistics.
Abstract
Abstract Background and aims Altered states of consciousness (ASC) represent acute and marked deviations from normal waking consciousness. Investig...
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 ...
Dimensions of corvid consciousness.
Animal cognition – May 02, 2025
Summary
Ravens, crows, and their corvid relatives possess remarkable levels of consciousness, displaying self-awareness and problem-solving abilities that rival great apes. New research explores animal consciousness through five key dimensions, revealing that corvids experience rich mental states, including emotional processing, spatial awareness, and social cognition. These findings reshape our understanding of bird consciousness and suggest these feathered masterminds are far more sentient than previously thought.
Abstract
Corvids have long been a target of public fascination and of scientific attention, particularly in the study of animal minds. Using Birch et al.'s ...
Heart rate variability responses to personalized and non-personalized affective videos. A study on healthy subjects and patients with disorders of consciousness.
Frontiers in psychology – January 01, 2025
Summary
Our hearts respond differently to familiar faces versus strangers - a finding that could revolutionize how we assess consciousness in patients. Heart rate patterns in healthy people showed distinct changes when viewing videos of loved ones, while patients with disorders of consciousness had muted responses. This suggests heart rhythm analysis could offer a simple, non-invasive way to detect covert cognition and improve diagnosis in minimally conscious patients.
Abstract
The diagnosis of patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC), including those in a minimally conscious state (MCS) and those with unresponsive w...
Occipital and left temporal instantaneous amplitude and frequency oscillations correlated with access and phenomenal consciousness
arXiv Preprint Archive – December 26, 2020
Summary
Brain activity patterns reveal how consciousness emerges! Scientists discovered specific brain regions that light up differently when we're consciously aware of something versus when information is processed unconsciously. Using advanced signal analysis, researchers found unique electrical patterns in the occipital and left temporal brain areas that correlate with conscious experiences, advancing our understanding of how the brain creates awareness.
Abstract
Given the hard problem of consciousness (Chalmers, 1995) there are no brain electrophysiological correlates of the subjective experience (the felt ...