Dynamic Functional Hyperconnectivity After Psilocybin Intake Is Primarily Associated With Oceanic Boundlessness.
Biological psychiatry. Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging July 1, 2024 Sepehr Mortaheb, Larry D Fort, Natasha L Mason et al. 15 citations
Psilocybin produces profound alterations in both brain connectivity and subjective experience. In a randomized study, healthy volunteers received psilocybin or placebo and underwent ultrahigh field 7T fMRI scanning during the peak drug effect. Psilocybin caused widespread increases in averaged brain functional connectivity and a recurrent hyperconnected brain pattern with low blood oxygen level-dependent signal amplitude, suggesting heightened cortical arousal. This hyperconnected pattern was linked to feelings of oceanic boundlessness and visionary restructuralization. The brain's tendency to enter this hyperconnected-hyperarousal state may underlie the variant mental associations characteristic of the psychedelic experience.