Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews
September 1, 2025
Ruben Laukkonen, Karl Friston, Shamil Chandaria
17 citations
A theoretical paper proposes that active inference can model consciousness through three conditions: a world model (epistemic field) defining what can be known, inferential competition (Bayesian binding) selecting only coherent inferences that reduce long-term uncertainty, and epistemic depth—a recursive sharing of beliefs throughout a hierarchical system like the brain. This loop allows the world model to know itself non-locally and continuously evidence that knowing, distinct from self-consciousness. The authors formally propose a hyper-model for precision-control whose latent states encode global weighting rules, enacting epistemic agency and flexibility reminiscent of general intelligence. The theory also addresses altered states, meditation, and the full spectrum of conscious experience.
November 26, 2021
Kadi Tulver, Karl Kristjan Kaup, Ruben Laukkonen et al.
16 citations
preprint
Insight, the sudden understanding of a solution or idea, is not only central to creative problem-solving but also plays a key role in psychotherapy, meditation, the emergence of delusions in schizophrenia, and the therapeutic effects of psychedelics. This integrative review draws on literature from multiple fields to examine the event of insight, its prerequisites, and its consequences. It highlights commonalities and differences across these domains, aiming to bridge gaps between disparate research traditions and inspire interdisciplinary efforts to understand this core cognitive process.
July 3, 2023
Hugh McGovern, Hilary Jane Grimmer, Manoj K. Doss et al.
12 citations
preprint
Psychedelics can reorient beliefs, but they may also lead to false insights and false beliefs. A review of laboratory research on false insights and false memories is connected to belief formation under psychedelics through the active inference framework. Psychedelics increase both the quantity and subjective intensity of insights and beliefs, including false ones. Future research should aim to minimize the risk of false and potentially harmful beliefs arising from psychedelics. Understanding this risk is crucial for safely leveraging the therapeutic potential of psychedelics.
Psychology & Neuroscience
May 26, 2022
Evan Lewis-Healey, Ruben Laukkonen, Michiel van Elk
4 citations
Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy may treat depression by weakening the connections between symptoms in a complex dynamic network, according to a theoretical model called the Relaxed Symptom Network. Drawing on the Network Theory of Mental Disorders, which views depression as an emergent phenomenon from strong symptom interactions, the authors propose that successful therapy reduces these connections, making patients less vulnerable to developing or relapsing into depression. The article summarizes clinical trials showing antidepressant effects of psilocybin when embedded in psychotherapy, reviews contested mechanisms, and offers practical guidance for integrating network theory into future clinical research.
May 19, 2021
Evan Lewis-Healey, Ruben Laukkonen, Michiel van Elk
3 citations
preprint
Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) shows promise for treating depression, but how it works is debated. The authors propose that depression arises from strong interactions among symptoms in a dynamic network, and that successful PAP weakens these connections, making relapse less likely. They call this the Relaxed Symptom Network hypothesis and argue that applying network theory could improve treatment response and reduce relapse. Practical guidance for integrating this framework into future clinical research with psilocybin is provided.
bioRxiv Preprint Server
June 30, 2026
Mihir Nath, Nicco Reggente, Neil Bailey et al.
preprint
Deep meditation is associated with heightened mental clarity, which corresponds to a measurable increase in the brain's functional signal-to-noise ratio (f-SNR). In experienced Vipassana practitioners, deeper meditative states produced stronger and more consistent neural responses to auditory tones, as measured by event-related potentials and single-trial decodability. The findings suggest that deep meditation enhances the brain's ability to faithfully represent sensory signals while reducing irrelevant background neural activity.
June 16, 2025
Ruben Laukkonen, Karl Friston, Shamil Chandaria
preprint
A theory proposes that active inference can model consciousness through three conditions: a generative world model (epistemic field) that defines what can be known; inferential competition where only coherent uncertainty-reducing inferences enter the model (Bayesian binding); and epistemic depth, a recursive sharing of beliefs such that the world model knows it exists non-locally. This self-knowing is distinct from self-consciousness. The theory introduces a hyper-model for precision-control across hierarchical inference layers, termed the Beautiful Loop Theory. It offers insights into meditation, psychedelic states, minimal phenomenal experience, and suggests a path toward conscious artificial intelligence.