Conscious Cogn
November 1, 2019
B. Nelson, S. Lavoie, Ł. Gawęda et al.
99 citations
This integrative empirical study examines the neurophenomenology of early psychosis, aiming to bridge subjective experiences with neural correlates. The authors argue that understanding the lived experience of psychosis in its early stages, combined with neurobiological measures, can provide a more comprehensive picture of the disorder. The work suggests that such an approach may reveal specific patterns of brain activity and subjective experience that are characteristic of early psychosis, potentially informing early intervention strategies. The study emphasizes the importance of integrating first-person accounts with third-person neuroscientific data to advance knowledge of psychosis onset.
Conscious Cogn
December 8, 2020
Camila Sanz, Carla Pallavicini, Facundo Carrillo et al.
34 citations
Under the influence of LSD, natural language becomes more disorganized, exhibiting increased entropy—a measure of randomness or unpredictability in word sequences. This disorganization reflects a broader disruption of cognitive and neural processes typically responsible for maintaining coherent speech. The findings suggest that psychedelics like LSD alter the brain's normal information processing, leading to less structured and more variable language output. These effects align with the idea that psychedelics increase entropy in brain activity, which may underlie both the therapeutic potential and the subjective experience of ego dissolution.
Conscious Cogn
May 28, 2022
Conor H. Murray, Bhargav Srinivasa-Desikan
20 citations
THC, the primary psychoactive component of cannabis, produces altered states of consciousness that share features with those induced by classical psychedelics. In 25 healthy, infrequent cannabis users, oral doses of 7.5 and 15 mg THC dose-dependently increased measures of altered states, including insightfulness, mindfulness, and mind-wandering, and increased language entropy, a pattern previously reported with LSD. The findings suggest overlapping neurophysiological mechanisms between THC and psychedelics, but future work must determine whether reported increases in mindfulness or insight reflect genuine enhancement of conscious awareness or a psychotomimetic state such as delusional thinking.
Conscious Cogn
July 7, 2025
Jussi Jylkkä, Hilla Väyrynen, Enyu Lin et al.
3 citations
Meditation and psychedelics both foster mystical, psychological, and philosophical-existential insights that predict wellbeing. A qualitative-quantitative study found that these insights, whether from meditation or controlled psychedelic use, are associated with positive shifts in personal wellbeing. The authors suggest that the types of insights from both practices overlap and can profoundly benefit individuals, leading to enhanced wellbeing and personal transformation.