How high ventilation breathwork alters consciousness: Hypoperfusion, network dynamics, and subjective experience.
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry August 1, 2026 Christian N Schmitz, Marijan Bernardic, Anamaria-Domnica Vlădoiu et al.
High ventilation breathwork (HVB) is increasingly used in psychotherapeutic and contemplative contexts to induce altered states of consciousness (ASC), yet its neurobiological mechanisms remain poorly understood. Thirty experienced HVB practitioners (mean age 44.97 ± 11.80 years) underwent perfusion and resting-state fMRI to assess acute cerebrovascular and post-acute network changes. Cerebral...