Neurobiological substrates of altered states of consciousness induced by high ventilation breathwork accompanied by music
Amy Kartar, Toru Horinouchi, Balázs Örzsik, Brittany L. Anderson, Lottie Hall, Duncan Bailey, Sarah Samuel, Nohra E. Beltran-Vargas, Samira Bouyagoub, Chris Racey, Yoko Nagai, Iris Asllani, Hugo Critchley, Alessandro Colasanti
PLoS ONE August 27, 2025 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0329411 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractHigh 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.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Experienced practitioners of high ventilation breathwork |
| Intervention | High ventilation breathwork |
| Keywords | Operculum bryozoa Insula Psychology Amygdala Neuroscience |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key finding | The intensity of altered states of consciousness induced by high ventilation breathwork is proportional to cardiovascular sympathetic activation and to haemodynamic changes in the left operculum/posterior insula and right amygdala/anterior hippocampus. |
Abstract
The popularity of breathwork as a therapeutic tool for psychological distress is rapidly expanding. Breathwork practices that increase ventilatory rate or depth, facilitated by music, can evoke subjective experiential states analogous to altered states of consciousness (ASCs) evoked by psychedelic substances. These states include components such as euphoria, bliss, and perceptual differences. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the profound subjective effects of high ventilation breathwork (HVB) remain largely unknown and unexplored. In this study, we investigated the neurobiological substrates of ASCs induced by HVB in experienced practitioners. We demonstrate that the intensity of ASCs evoked by HVB was proportional to cardiovascular sympathetic activation and to haemodynamic alterations in cerebral perfusion within clusters spanning the left operculum/posterior insula and right amygdala/anterior hippocampus; regions implicated in respiratory interoceptive representation and the processing of emotional memories, respectively. These observed regional cerebral effects may underlie pivotal mental experiences that mediate positive therapeutic outcomes of HVB.