NeuroImage
April 4, 2019
Ottavia Dipasquale, Pierluigi Selvaggi, Mattia Veronese et al.
79 citations
A double-blind, placebo-controlled study combined resting-state fMRI with a molecular atlas of serotonin receptors to examine how MDMA alters functional connectivity. Using the REACT method, the researchers found that MDMA-induced connectivity changes were specifically linked to brain regions rich in the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and the 5-HT1A receptor, the drug's primary targets. Changes in 5-HT1A-enriched maps correlated with MDMA blood levels, while changes in 5-HT2A-enriched maps correlated with spiritual experiences reported by participants. The approach shows that MDMA's effects on brain connectivity can be explained by the distribution of its serotonergic targets, offering a new way to characterize psychoactive compounds.
Psychopharmacology
March 24, 2022
Timothy Lawn, Ottavia Dipasquale, Alexandros Vamvakas et al.
48 citations
LSD alters functional connectivity in the brain in ways that depend on its interactions with multiple serotonin and dopamine receptors, not only the 5-HT2A receptor. By analyzing brain scans from 15 participants, researchers found that LSD-induced changes in connectivity linked to different receptors corresponded to different subjective effects: serotonin-related receptors were predominantly associated with perceptual changes, while dopamine-related receptors were more tied to alterations in selfhood and cognition. These patterns were distinct, with similar relationships appearing within each receptor family but not between them. The findings suggest that LSD's full effects involve a broader set of receptors than previously emphasized.
Medical hypotheses
September 1, 2019
Enrico Facco, Laura Mendozzi, Angelo Bona et al.
16 citations
Five individuals with unusual hypnotic ability, free of psychiatric disorders, spontaneously experienced multiple identities during hypnosis, which they later did not recall due to post-hypnotic amnesia. Brain scans showed reduced connectivity in the Default Mode Network, particularly between the posterior cingulate cortex and medial prefrontal cortex. Comparing these findings with fMRI data from Dissociative Identity Disorder patients suggests a continuum between normal mental functioning, where multiple identities can coexist unconsciously, and pathological dissociation. The authors argue that a sharp boundary between normal and pathological experiences may be artificial, and that non-ordinary mental expressions like these should be understood rather than treated.
Human brain mapping
April 1, 2025
Clayton R Coleman, Kenneth Shinozuka, Robert Tromm et al.
4 citations
LSD alters consciousness by changing connectivity between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), thalamus, and visual areas. In healthy participants, stronger functional connectivity between the left and right DLPFC, thalamus, and fusiform face area correlated with greater ego dissolution. Emotional arousal was linked to increased connectivity between the right DLPFC, intraparietal sulcus, and salience network. A confirmatory reverse analysis supported these findings. Magnetoencephalography data showed that LSD increased theta-band information flow from the thalamus to the DLPFC, supporting the idea that disrupted thalamic gating underlies ego dissolution. The results clarify the DLPFC's role in LSD-induced altered states.
bioRxiv Preprint Server
December 9, 2024
Clayton R. Coleman, Kenneth Shinozuka, Robert Tromm et al.
1 citation
preprint
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) alters consciousness by affecting brain connectivity, particularly in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Using fMRI and MEG data from healthy participants, the study found that ego dissolution—a hallmark of the psychedelic experience—was positively correlated with increased functional connectivity between the left and right DLPFC, thalamus, and fusiform face area. Emotional arousal was linked to stronger connectivity between the right DLPFC, intraparietal sulcus, and salience network. A confirmatory analysis supported these findings. MEG data showed that LSD increased directed information flow from the thalamus to the DLPFC in the theta band, suggesting disrupted thalamic gating contributes to ego dissolution. These results indicate a key role for the DLPFC in LSD-induced states of consciousness.