bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
March 24, 2026
Kenneth Shinozuka, Mattia Rosso, Anna Chaiken et al.
1 citation
A single dose of the atypical psychedelic ibogaine can be highly effective at treating PTSD in veterans up to twelve months later, according to an observational study of 30 veterans. Using a novel EEG analysis method, researchers found that ibogaine shifted high-beta (24 and 25 Hz) brain networks from frontal areas toward posterior regions, an effect seen both three to four days and one month after treatment. This posterior shift correlated with improvements in PTSD symptoms and was replicated in an independent dataset on ibogaine for opioid use disorder. Neural modeling suggested the shift reflects increased corticocortical, not corticothalamic, connectivity. The reconfiguration of high-beta networks may be a robust biomarker for ibogaine's therapeutic effects.
iScience
February 21, 2026
Andrew D. Geoly, John P. Coetzee, Derrick Matthew Buchanan et al.
In a small study of 22 military veterans with traumatic brain injury, a single treatment with magnesium-ibogaine was associated with changes in brain structure one month later. Brain scans showed an average reduction in predicted brain age of 1.3 years, increased thickness in 11 cortical regions, and volume expansion in 8 subcortical regions. While the authors note that the imaging technique can also reflect nonstructural changes, the overall pattern of results is consistent with neuroplastic change.
Biological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging
February 1, 2026
Malvika Sridhar, Azeezat Azeez, Andrew Geoly et al.
Meditation significantly enhances brain connectivity, with studies showing a 30% increase in functional connectivity among experienced practitioners compared to novices. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, researchers observed notable changes in neural activity associated with consciousness and emotional regulation. In a sample of 100 participants, those who meditated regularly exhibited stronger connections between brain regions linked to attention and self-awareness. This underscores the potential of meditation as a tool for improving mental health and cognitive function, highlighting its relevance in neuroscience and psychology.