LSD modulates music-induced imagery via changes in parahippocampal connectivity.
Eur Neuropsychopharmacol April 12, 2016 Mendel Kaelen, Leor Roseman, Joshua Kahan et al. 143 citations
Psychedelic drugs like LSD are being re-examined for therapeutic use, often combined with music during psychotherapy. In a placebo-controlled fMRI study with 12 healthy volunteers, researchers investigated how LSD and music together affect mental imagery. They found that the combination of LSD and music increased functional connectivity and information flow from the parahippocampal cortex to the visual cortex. This enhanced connectivity correlated with stronger eyes-closed visual imagery, including autobiographical imagery. The findings suggest a neural mechanism by which music and LSD synergistically enhance subjective experiences that may be valuable in therapeutic settings.