Neurobiological substrates of altered states of consciousness induced by high ventilation breathwork accompanied by music
PLoS ONE August 27, 2025 Amy Kartar, Toru Horinouchi, Balázs Örzsik et al. 1 citation
High ventilation breathwork (HVB), which involves rapid or deep breathing often accompanied by music, can produce altered states of consciousness (ASCs) similar to those caused by psychedelic substances, including euphoria, bliss, and perceptual changes. The neurobiological mechanisms behind these effects were largely unknown. In experienced practitioners, the intensity of ASCs from HVB was proportional to cardiovascular sympathetic activation and to changes in cerebral blood flow in the left operculum/posterior insula and right amygdala/anterior hippocampus—brain regions involved in sensing breathing and processing emotional memories. These brain changes may underlie the positive therapeutic outcomes associated with HVB.