NeuroImage
June 1, 2023
Rui Dai, Tony E Larkin, Zirui Huang et al.
49 citations
Three different psychedelics—nitrous oxide, ketamine, and lysergic acid diethylamide—produce a common pattern of brain network changes despite having distinct molecular mechanisms and delivery methods. Each drug reduced connectivity within brain networks and enhanced connectivity between networks. Specifically, all three increased connections between the right temporoparietal junction and bilateral intraparietal sulcus, and between the precuneus and left intraparietal sulcus. These regions lie within the posterior cortical "hot zone," an area thought to mediate the qualitative aspects of experience. The findings identify a biologically plausible candidate for the subjective effects of both classical and non-classical psychedelics.
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
October 23, 2024
Rui Dai, Hyunwoo Jang, Anthony G Hudetz et al.
1 citation
preprint
Consciousness appears to depend on global interactions across multiple brain regions rather than on localized neural activity. Using fMRI data across psychedelic, sleep, and deep sedation states, the study found a mirror-image pattern: psychedelic states increased global functional connectivity and decreased local neural synchrony, while non-REM sleep and deep sedation showed the opposite pattern. This pattern was observed in anterior-posterior and posterior-posterior brain regions but not within the anterior brain alone. Anterior transmodal regions were key for anterior-posterior connectivity, while posterior transmodal and unimodal regions were critical for posterior-posterior connectivity. The findings support global theories of consciousness and bridge the Global Neuronal Workspace hypothesis and Integrated Information Theory by showing shared neural mechanisms.
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
June 1, 2026
Panagiotis Fotiadis, Hyunwoo Jang, Rui Dai et al.
Brain waves coordinate neural communication and shape conscious perception. Analyzing blood oxygen level-dependent activity from the Human Connectome Project and other datasets across sleep, propofol anesthesia, and psychedelic states (LSD, DMT, psilocybin, nitrous oxide, ketamine), four dominant wave propagation motifs were identified: a global synchronized wave, an anti-correlated unimodal-transmodal wave, an anti-correlated task-positive/task-negative wave, and an anti-correlated visual-somatomotor wave.