Journal of Psychopharmacology
April 12, 2024
Joseph Peill, Miriam Marguilho, David Erritzoe et al.
16 citations
In a double-blind randomized controlled trial, 59 patients with depression received either a high (25 mg) or placebo (1 mg) dose of psilocybin. Those given the high dose reported stronger perceived 'inner healing' effects, and within that group, higher inner healer scores predicted greater improvement in depressive symptoms two weeks later. The findings suggest that the concept of an intrinsic healing mechanism activated by psychedelics merits further scientific investigation, though the idea remains scientifically nascent.
Andrea I. Luppi, Pedro Mediano, Fernando Rosas et al.
5 citations
preprint
Consciousness can be understood not as a single unified thing but as composed of distinct information-theoretic elements. A new approach called Integrated Information Decomposition (ΦID) shifts from measuring how much integrated information a system has to analyzing its composition. This provides a formal way to determine whether consciousness is an emergent phenomenon based on that composition. Two organisms can have the same amount of integrated information yet differ in its composition. A new measure, ΦR, and the ΦR-ing rate quantify how efficiently an entity uses information for conscious processing. This decomposition identifies qualitatively different 'modes of consciousness,' enabling mapping between phenomenology and information-theoretic structure, starting with selfhood.
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
September 8, 2025
Malin Vedøy Uthaug, Giancarlo Allocca, Martha Havenith et al.
1 citation
The paper introduces the concept of 'bodyset'—the state of the body, including both body and brain—as a vital element in preparing for psychedelic experiences, expanding the traditional 'set and setting' framework. Through a literature review, it argues that the body likely matters for wellbeing, peak performance, and peak experiences. Comprehensive multidisciplinary research, especially on biomarkers, is needed to clarify the role of bodyset in psychedelic experiences and therapy outcomes. The authors suggest that considering physical state alongside psychological and environmental factors may enhance understanding of psychedelic effects and inform other treatments like breathwork.
NeuroImage
June 10, 2026
Fran Hancock, Rachael Kee, Fernando Rosas et al.
Flow—a state of effortless immersion often experienced during video games—shows a moderate inverse relationship with global brain entropy, meaning the brain is less disordered during flow than during boredom or frustration. Synchronization and metastability do not explain flow. Boredom and frustration each display distinct patterns of brain dynamics. These findings integrate earlier observations about prefrontal activity and network synchrony into a single dynamical-systems framework, identifying complexity-based markers that could help map the neural basis of media-related benefits.
bioRxiv Preprint Server
July 11, 2025
Fran Hancock, Rachael Kee, Fernando Rosas et al.
preprint
Flow—the experience of effortless immersion—shows an inverse relationship with global brain entropy during a video game task, meaning less disorderly brain activity corresponds with more flow. Boredom and frustration each display distinct patterns of brain dynamics. These findings bring together earlier observations about prefrontal activity and network synchrony into a single framework and suggest complexity-based measures could help map the neural basis of media-related benefits.