Preprints.org
April 15, 2026
preprint
This review examines the potential therapeutic use of psilocybin in older adults for inflammation-driven disorders of aging, including depression and neurodegeneration. It discusses how psilocybin may modulate inflammatory pathways and promote neuroplasticity, offering benefits for age-related conditions where inflammation plays a key role. The authors suggest that psilocybin-assisted therapy could address both mood disorders and cognitive decline in this population, though they note the need for further research to establish safety and efficacy in older adults.
Preprints.org
April 10, 2026
Harald Bentz Høgseth
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Memory is not stored solely in human minds but is distributed across people, materials, tools, and environments, particularly in historic wooden neighborhoods. Drawing on the WoodiSH project, the article proposes expanding the concept of terroir—originally from viticulture—to describe how landscape, materials, craft traditions, and human practices shape the character and memory of place. Combining material culture studies, phenomenology, and 4E cognition with Tim Ingold's meshwork and wayfaring, the authors argue that knowledge about built heritage emerges through movement and practical interaction with material environments. Historic wooden neighborhoods in Trondheim, Vilnius, and Pori are living archives where traces of use, repair, and everyday life accumulate. Heritage environments should be understood as pedagogical and cognitive landscapes, not merely objects of preservation.
Preprints.org
April 7, 2026
Luis Miguel Gallardo
preprint
Altered states of consciousness (ASC) are a universal human capacity for accessing and transforming the subconscious mind, employed through diverse contemplative, somatic, pharmacological, ritual, and technological modalities. This review synthesizes evidence from over 25 disciplines, finding converging neurobiological mechanisms including default mode network suppression, autonomic regulation, and neuroplasticity. Clinical evidence is strongest for MDMA-assisted therapy in PTSD (67% response rate in Phase 3 RCTs), psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression (60-70% response), EMDR for trauma, mindfulness for depression relapse and anxiety, and neurofeedback for ADHD and anxiety. Transpersonal modalities like Life Between Lives hypnotherapy show preliminary evidence for existential distress but lack rigorous controlled trials. The review proposes an integrative framework positioning ASC as a spectrum from subconscious to superconscious, with diverse modalities as complementary vehicles for consciousness transformation.
Preprints.org
March 17, 2026
Yuki Ueda
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Oxytocin, a hormone involved in social bonding, may help create the brain conditions for non-dual awareness—a state of consciousness without intentional content. The review proposes that oxytocin down-regulates the amygdala and modulates the Default Mode Network, reducing self-referential processing and supporting ego-dissolution. This neuro-chemical substrate could explain how contemplative traditions achieve pure consciousness. The authors discuss ethical concerns about using neuro-pharmacology to influence meditative states and suggest future clinical applications for psychiatric disorders involving rigid self-narratives.
Preprints.org
March 16, 2026
Gerd Leidig
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Arthur Schopenhauer's metaphysics of the will, when stripped of its ontological commitments, offers rich descriptions of embodied agency and selfhood that align with contemporary cognitive science. This paper reconstructs Schopenhauer's ideas in four stages: interpreting his unity of body and will through the Free Energy Principle; situating his fragmented self within Gallagher's Pattern Theory of Self; framing his ethics of compassion as a precursor to a Pattern Theory of Compassion; and explaining his pessimism as predictive dysregulation. The approach uses cognitive models as a functional grammar for phenomenal experience without reducing its metaphysical depth.
Preprints.org
March 5, 2026
Kyrylo Somkin
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Human consciousness can be understood as two functional brain states: the personal mode, which is motivationally and socially embedded, oriented toward adaptation, identity maintenance, and ego-relevant concerns, and the meta-reflective mode, where cognition turns upon itself, enabling abstraction, self-objectification, and existential evaluation. The model does not posit metaphysical dualism or strictly separable neural systems; both modes may recruit overlapping brain regions, differing in dominant functional orientation and hierarchical organization. Tensions between these modes may account for identity-based crises (emerging within the personal mode) and existential crises (from intensified meta-reflective activation). The development of civilization reflects the structural coexistence of adaptive engagement and reflective distancing. Empirical validation remains limited.
Preprints.org
February 27, 2026
Luis Miguel Gallardo
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Transpersonal psychology, psychotherapy, and hypnotherapy have developed from their 1960s origins into a 'fourth force' that integrates spiritual and consciousness dimensions into psychological practice. Based on 283 scholarly sources, the field evolved from studying altered states to addressing human transcendence and wholeness across cultures. Key contributions include experiential therapies, consciousness research methods, and models bridging Eastern and Western traditions. Opportunities exist in neuroscience, cross-cultural work, and evidence-based practice, while challenges remain in empirical validation, theoretical coherence, and mainstream acceptance.
Preprints.org
February 26, 2026
Gerd Leidig
preprint
Awakening is redefined not as a final, irreversible state described in Asian traditions but as an ongoing recognition of reality's structure—a moment when consciousness becomes aware of itself, entering meta-awareness. Within a framework called processual perspectivism, a 'Witnessing-Space' is the central, metastable configuration of an enactive inference system. Awakening involves a radical reorganization of this space: moving from fragmented, emotionally dysregulated patterns to an integrated perspective where the system sees its own generative architecture. This Witnessing-Space connects process-ontological philosophy, brain dynamics, and existential spiritual self-realization. The study of awakening may offer a key to resolving the mind-body problem by revealing how phenomenal appearance is generated.
Preprints.org
February 9, 2026
Philippe Henry
preprint
A novel treatment approach for treatment-resistant depression and chronic anxiety combines the rapid neuroplastic effects of the psychedelic 5-MeO-DMT with the anxiolytic properties of the cannabinoid THCV, delivered via a precision vaporization device. The THCV acts as a 'cushion' to prevent the panic and acute activity increase often triggered by high-potency psychedelics, while allowing the tryptamine to promote synaptic growth and reset the Default Mode Network. This synergistic combination aims to provide more effective and tolerable relief than existing antidepressants, which require weeks to work and do not address synaptic atrophy.
Preprints.org
January 30, 2026
Luis Miguel Gallardo, Saamdu Chetri
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Hypnosis, traditionally seen as a clinical technique for symptom reduction, may more fundamentally function as a mechanism of emotion regulation and self-integration. This integrative review proposes that hypnotic states reorganize emotional experience and self-referential processing by modulating large-scale brain networks—the default mode network, executive control network, and salience network. The authors introduce a formal model in which hypnotic induction enhances experiential plasticity through coordinated network reconfiguration, enabling adaptive emotion regulation and reduced dissociative fragmentation. Central to this framework is the construct of Fundamental Peace, a dynamic neuro-experiential state involving flexible attentional control, emotional coherence across self-states, reduced self-referential rigidity, and compassionate self-awareness, distinct from equanimity or well-being. The framework is evaluated against alternative theories, and testable predictions are specified.
Preprints.org
January 15, 2026
A. Guffanti, Matteo Leonardi, Natascia Brondino et al.
preprint
Intranasal Esketamine, when added to standard antidepressants, reduced depressive symptoms in three young adults with both treatment-resistant depression and autism spectrum disorder. Two patients achieved full remission and one showed partial remission over six months, with no major side effects. Suicidal thoughts decreased, but abilities related to understanding others' mental states improved only slightly. Quality of life scores rose substantially for all three patients. The authors note the small sample prevents statistical conclusions and call for larger, randomized studies.
Preprints.org
January 12, 2026
Moninder Singh Modgil, Dnyandeo Dattatray Patil
preprint
Consciousness in its unconditioned state can be mathematically described as a limit condition of cognitive curvature, analogous to a zero-curvature manifold in differential geometry, where perception is no longer mediated by temporal differentiation. This zero-curvature condition finds empirical support in neuroscientific studies of the Default Mode Network, where meditative absorption produces near-zero entropy. The framework integrates contemplative insights with neurogeometric and physical models, drawing parallels between meditative silence and harmonic equilibrium in sound. The paper extends this analysis to symbolic expressions in 20th-century rock music, interpreting Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence" as an acoustic meditation on presence, and Pink Floyd's "Brain Damage" and "Eclipse" as reflections of cognitive noise collapsing into inner quietude.
Preprints.org
January 5, 2026
Deyan Shopin
preprint
Emotional body mapping, which links bodily sensations to feelings, has been organized into a framework of physiological, motor, and conceptual signals. Current models lack a formal way to use functional lateralization—differences between the brain's left and right hemispheres—as a predictor of a person's cognitive stance. This paper integrates the Subjectica model, which distinguishes a Personally-Oriented Left Side (PO-LS) from a Socially-Oriented Right Side (SO-RS) of the body, to interpret asymmetric neurobehavioral signals. The concept of Sensory Circulation (SC) describes a continuous flow of sensory signals that determines somatic awareness. This approach treats body maps not as static reports of emotion but as dynamic indicators of cognitive orientation, linking hemispheric specialization to observable body kinematics and providing a neurophenomenological foundation for cognitive science.
Preprints.org
December 19, 2025
Elena Koning, Susan Gamberg, Aaron Keshen
preprint
Eating disorders remain difficult to treat, with high dropout and low remission rates in cognitive-behavioral therapy. Psilocybin treatment may enhance this therapy by producing neurobiological, psychological, and experiential effects such as antidepressant action, increased neuroplasticity, and emotional openness, which are hypothesized to improve engagement, reduce dropout, and boost clinical outcomes. This article consolidates existing theoretical evidence for combining psilocybin with cognitive-behavioral therapy for eating disorders, proposes considerations for a concurrent intervention protocol, and presents clinical and research considerations for testing its feasibility, safety, and efficacy. This line of inquiry aims to advance approaches that improve eating disorder treatment outcomes and the study of psychedelics as tools to enhance evidence-based psychotherapy.
Preprints.org
December 5, 2025
preprint
Consciousness is argued to be identical to whatever neural or mnemonic representation is momentarily the most accessible, given the brain's history and current context. Drawing on Tulving's availability-accessibility distinction and evidence from working memory, attentional blink, priming, and neuromodulation, the authors propose that the stream of consciousness is a deterministic sequence of state transitions governed by relative accessibility. This stream is not a by-product but a continuation of the same dynamic operating across evolutionary, developmental, and cultural timescales, now unfolding at psychological speed. The account reframes the hard problem of consciousness as a tractable question about accessibility mechanisms and generates testable predictions about priming, mind-wandering, and clinical disruptions.
Preprints.org
October 17, 2025
Jacques Suspène, Sarah Huet, Sabine Berteina‐raboin et al.
preprint
Alcohol use disorder involves excessive drinking, and current medications often do not prevent relapse. Psilocybin is being studied for treating substance use disorders. This review of recent clinical trials finds that psilocybin appears to reduce craving, but its effect on overall alcohol consumption is less clear. Future trials would benefit from larger sample sizes and standardized tests.
Preprints.org
October 8, 2025
Arisa Yokosu, Takahiko Maruyama, Hiromitsu Miyata
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A brief paired body-mind practice derived from Japanese martial arts, the Wakame Exercise, increased nondual awareness and reduced the salience of body boundaries in undergraduates compared to a structured physical interaction or rest. Within the Wakame group, higher nondual awareness correlated with more creative attitudes, which in turn linked to greater decentering. These effects occurred regardless of participants' baseline boundary thinness. The findings suggest that short, meditative paired practices from Eastern martial traditions can temporarily dissolve self-other boundaries and foster psychological flexibility, offering a basis for integrating such methods into modern psychology.
Preprints.org
October 3, 2025
Octavian Brinzei
preprint
MDMA-assisted therapy reduces PTSD symptoms in multiple clinical trials, but regulatory rejection based on flawed blinding methods highlights a contradiction: the drug's strong psychoactive effects make true placebo-controlled trials impossible. This paper introduces the Trauma-Affective Memory Loop (TAML), a model of how traumatic memories are stored and reinforced. MDMA reduces fear signals, creating a temporary "therapeutic window" for safe trauma reprocessing. Acute, one-time traumas may resolve in one to three sessions, while complex or developmental trauma may need repeated treatment. A new quadruple-masked trial design, the Brinzei MDMA-PTSD Protocol (BMPP), limits bias while allowing effective therapy delivery.
Preprints.org
September 29, 2025
preprint
Lithium is the first-choice long-term treatment for bipolar disorder, but only 30% of patients respond, and there is no reliable way to predict who will. Ketamine, a rapid antidepressant, may work better in patients whose clinical features typically predict poor lithium response. A scoping review of clinical and preclinical studies found that ketamine and lithium converge on the GSK-3β/mTOR pathways and enhance synaptic plasticity, and lithium limits ketamine-related oxidative stress and hyperlocomotion. However, clinical predictors diverge: ketamine response is linked to metabolic risk, anxiety, mixed features, and non-melancholic presentations—factors that generally predict poorer lithium response.
Preprints.org
September 22, 2025
Thomas C. Hunt
preprint
Psychedelic substances—LSD, psilocybin, ketamine, and 5-MeO-DMT—modulate consciousness by enhancing the coherence and dynamics of brain electromagnetic fields, rather than solely through neural computation. LSD increases sustained coherence across frequency bands; psilocybin boosts oscillatory flexibility and field entropy; ketamine causes dissociative field fragmentation via NMDA receptor disruption; and 5-MeO-DMT rapidly dissolves field boundaries. These effects suggest psychedelics act as field resonance enhancers, expanding consciousness through increased electromagnetic field coherence, cross-frequency coupling, and epistemic depth. The framework proposes that receptor activation tunes electromagnetic field computation, offering testable predictions for optimizing psychedelic therapy.
Preprints.org
June 20, 2025
Lida‐alkisti Xenaki, Nikos C. Stefanis
preprint
Psychosis involves a profound disruption in how a person experiences themselves and the world, marked by symptoms such as loss of reality testing. Standard psychiatric approaches often rely on descriptive psychopathology, which can miss the rich subjective experiences of those affected. This paper proposes an integrative framework that combines phenomenology—the study of first-person conscious experience—with descriptive clinical categorization. By examining disturbances in basic selfhood and perception of the outer world, the authors aim to bridge standardized evaluation with personal narrative. They describe psychotic features transdiagnostically, viewing psychosis as a dynamic disruption in experiential frameworks from early stages. Incorporating empathic, intersubjective communication into psychiatric interviews supports person-centered care and may improve early intervention, therapeutic alliances, and treatment strategies.
Preprints.org
April 10, 2025
Andrés David Turizo Smith, Natalia Botero Jsramillo, Diana Milena Berrío Cuartas
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Psilocybin, a psychedelic compound found in certain mushrooms, has a long history of use in spiritual ceremonies and neuropsychiatric therapy. Although it was classified as a Schedule I substance in 1970, research into its therapeutic potential has revived since the early 2000s, especially in psychiatry and palliative care. This review explores how psilocybin may improve quality of life for palliative care patients by reducing psychological distress and enhancing emotional well-being. The discussion covers historical context, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, legal status, and future directions for its use in palliative care.
Preprints.org
July 30, 2024
Rúna F. E. Walther, Hein T. van Schie
preprint
This narrative review argues that therapeutic benefits of psychedelics arise primarily from the subjective experiences they induce, not from the substances themselves. The strongest predictor of positive outcomes is the occurrence of mystical experiences, but other psychological processes—awe, perspective shifts, insight, emotional breakthrough, acceptance, memory re-experiencing, and certain challenging experiences—also contribute significantly. The review covers both pharmacological methods (various psychedelics used in therapy and indigenous rituals) and non-pharmacological methods (breathwork, meditation, sensory deprivation) that can induce psychedelic states. It concludes that a purely medical and neurobiological approach is reductive and should not overshadow the importance of phenomenological experiences in understanding and treating psychological issues.
Preprints.org
Ranjeet Kumar Verma
preprint
A dialogue between Advaita Vedanta's non-dualistic consciousness and quantum physics suggests that both challenge materialist views of reality. Advaita holds that consciousness (Brahman) is the fundamental reality and the material world is illusion (Maya). Quantum phenomena such as wave-particle duality, non-locality, and the observer effect resonate with this view, implying reality is interconnected, probabilistic, and observer-dependent. The paper proposes that quantum physics may offer a scientific framework supporting Advaita's claim that consciousness is the substratum of reality, and examines how the observer effect aligns with the Advaitic principle that reality is shaped by consciousness. This contributes to philosophy of mind and science by proposing a unified, non-dual model of consciousness.