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Michal Beneš

National Institute of Mental Health

3 papers in the library · 4 citations · publishing 2025

Papers

What fMRI studies say about the nature of the psychedelic effect: a scoping review

Frontiers in Neuroscience July 1, 2025 Michal Beneš, Tomáš Páleníček, Jiřı́ Horáček 4 citations

A scoping review of fMRI studies on serotonergic psychedelics (psilocybin, LSD, DMT) identifies unifying themes: de-differentiation centered on the default mode network, complex changes in the thalamus, amygdala, and medial temporal lobe, and the importance of ego dissolution. These findings complement established models of psychedelic action and highlight contrasts with phenomenologically similar states and links to other biological markers.

Regional specificity of the cingulate cortex thickness association with the intensity of psilocybin experience: a replication study

Psychopharmacology December 13, 2025 David Greguš, Jaroslav Hlinka, Filip Tylš et al.

The spatial organization of the cingulate cortex, rather than the thickness of a single region, predicts the intensity of psychedelic experiences under psilocybin. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study with 25 healthy participants, an anterior–posterior gradient in cingulate thickness significantly predicted psychedelic experience intensity. The previously reported finding that rostral anterior cingulate cortex thickness alone predicts emotional responses showed a comparable effect size but did not reach statistical significance, likely due to the smaller sample size. These results suggest that the pattern of cortical thickness across the cingulate cortex, not focal measures, serves as a neuroanatomical marker of variability in psychedelic response.

Regional Specificity of the Cingulate Cortex Thickness Association with the Intensity of Psilocybin Experience: A Replication Study

Research Square September 25, 2025 David Greguš, Jaroslav Hlinka, Filip Tylš et al.

Individual differences in how people respond to psilocybin are linked to the structural organization of the cingulate cortex. A previous finding that thickness of a specific cingulate region predicted emotional responses was not replicated. Instead, a broader anterior-to-posterior gradient of cingulate thickness predicted the overall intensity of the psychedelic experience, and general cingulate thickness was associated with the balance between anxiety and visionary states. These results suggest that patterns of cortical thickness across the cingulate, rather than a single region, may serve as a neuroanatomical marker for predicting psychedelic response, with potential implications for personalized dosing in therapy.