Impaired information processing triggers altered states of consciousness.
Medical hypotheses April 1, 2002 M Fritzsche
Schizophrenia, cannabis intoxication, and cannabis psychosis produce similar distortions in time and space perception, suggesting a shared underlying dysfunction. Rather than pursuing genetic research, which has yielded disappointing results, this study examines information-theoretic explanations for these psychotic states. The authors propose that in acute psychosis, Kolmogorov entropy—involved in processing action and time—breaks down, while Shannon entropy—involved in higher-dimensional perception—increases, leading to positive symptoms and altered consciousness. Non-linear EEG analysis of Kolmogorov information could become a diagnostic tool for assessing information-processing breakdown in schizophrenia and help identify vulnerable individuals for protection against cannabis abuse.