Psilocybin induces spatially constrained alterations in thalamic functional organizaton and connectivity
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) March 2, 2022 Andrew Gaddis, Daniel E. Lidstone, Mary Beth Nebel et al. 2 citations preprint
Psilocybin, a classic psychedelic, alters perception and cognition by affecting connectivity between the thalamus and cortex. Using a novel analysis of resting-state fMRI data, this study found that psilocybin changes the functional organization within specific thalamic nuclei—primarily the mediodorsal and pulvinar nuclei—and alters their connections with visual and default mode networks. These changes correlated with subjective drug effects. When the thalamus was treated as a single unit, a numerical but not statistically significant increase in thalamocortical connectivity was observed, suggesting that psilocybin causes widespread modest increases offset by strong focal decreases in relevant nuclei.