Hi, I'm interested in the recent developments in psychedelic research. I read a book by Dr. Bernardo Kastrup about analytic idealism. I want to find evidence in neurological research to support the spiritual meaning of these experiences, that can heal people. Because, as you said, there is a direct correlation between the spiritual meaning of the experience and the improvement of the users' health. So, if this spiritual or mystical meaning is grounded in reality, it will support the interpretation of these experiences by the users and therefore their health. I was intrigued by the study in 2012 by Robin Carhart-Harris and his team who discovered an inverse correlation between the intensity of the experience and the amount of decrease in blood flow to the brain by psilocybin. Professor David Nutt showed MEG results, comparing different drugs, and showed a huge decrease (a lot of blue on the images of the scanned brains) of brain activity on the MEG images for psilocybin, LSD, and ketamine. MEG is a measure of neuronal activity. So, they saw a global decrease of neuronal activity by psychedelics. Not only the desynchronization of different parts of the brain but also a huge global decrease in neuronal activity. According to Robin Carhart-Harris' study in 2012: the amount of decrease predicted the subjective intensity of the experience inversely. (the more decrease of brain activity, the more intense the subjective experience.). Did your recent study had this same conclusion?
MEG and EEG both measure the power of synchronized activity of neuronal populations (magnetic and electric, respectively). The decreased in MEG was not a decrease in neuronal ACTIVITY (in fact, neuronal recording in animals shows that neuronal firing rate is not decreased on average by psychedelics) but rather a desynchronization, just as we show in our data. Many imaging and recording methods have converged on this observation (desynchronization by psychedelics)
I want to add this about animal studies: according to a study with mice conducted at the University of Oregon: 'Instead of flooding the brain with stimuli, the drug appeared to reduce neuron activity, suggesting that hallucinations stem from too little stimulation rather than too much.' (http://bit.ly/49lKff5).
Additionally, someone whose Posterior Cingulate Cortex (part of the DMN) was removed due to tumors experienced blissful states, a meditative sense, and a feeling of timelessness for up to a month after the surgery: 'He described himself in a kind of contemplative state, with a subjective feeling of absolute happiness and timelessness.' (https://scottbarrykaufman.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Herbet-et-al.-2014.pdf). This state likely transitioned back to a normal consciousness over time due to neuroplasticity.
Hi, I'm interested in the recent developments in psychedelic research. I read a book by Dr. Bernardo Kastrup about analytic idealism. I want to find evidence in neurological research to support the spiritual meaning of these experiences, that can heal people. Because, as you said, there is a direct correlation between the spiritual meaning of the experience and the improvement of the users' health. So, if this spiritual or mystical meaning is grounded in reality, it will support the interpretation of these experiences by the users and therefore their health. I was intrigued by the study in 2012 by Robin Carhart-Harris and his team who discovered an inverse correlation between the intensity of the experience and the amount of decrease in blood flow to the brain by psilocybin. Professor David Nutt showed MEG results, comparing different drugs, and showed a huge decrease (a lot of blue on the images of the scanned brains) of brain activity on the MEG images for psilocybin, LSD, and ketamine. MEG is a measure of neuronal activity. So, they saw a global decrease of neuronal activity by psychedelics. Not only the desynchronization of different parts of the brain but also a huge global decrease in neuronal activity. According to Robin Carhart-Harris' study in 2012: the amount of decrease predicted the subjective intensity of the experience inversely. (the more decrease of brain activity, the more intense the subjective experience.). Did your recent study had this same conclusion?
MEG and EEG both measure the power of synchronized activity of neuronal populations (magnetic and electric, respectively). The decreased in MEG was not a decrease in neuronal ACTIVITY (in fact, neuronal recording in animals shows that neuronal firing rate is not decreased on average by psychedelics) but rather a desynchronization, just as we show in our data. Many imaging and recording methods have converged on this observation (desynchronization by psychedelics)
I want to add this about animal studies: according to a study with mice conducted at the University of Oregon: 'Instead of flooding the brain with stimuli, the drug appeared to reduce neuron activity, suggesting that hallucinations stem from too little stimulation rather than too much.' (http://bit.ly/49lKff5).
Additionally, someone whose Posterior Cingulate Cortex (part of the DMN) was removed due to tumors experienced blissful states, a meditative sense, and a feeling of timelessness for up to a month after the surgery: 'He described himself in a kind of contemplative state, with a subjective feeling of absolute happiness and timelessness.' (https://scottbarrykaufman.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Herbet-et-al.-2014.pdf). This state likely transitioned back to a normal consciousness over time due to neuroplasticity.