Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
June 28, 2026
Giulio Ruffini, Francesca Castaldo
Pharmacological neuroplastogens---psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, ketamine---open transient windows of enhanced neural plasticity that can catalyze therapeutic change in mood disorders. Their mechanism, in the language of predictive processing, is to flatten high-level priors so that bottom-up prediction errors propagate freely and remodel the agent's generative model. We have argued, from first...
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
June 28, 2026
Giulio Ruffini, Francesca Castaldo
Pharmacological neuroplastogens---psychedelics, ketamine, MDMA---open transient windows of enhanced neural plasticity that can catalyze therapeutic change in mood disorders and beyond. Their clinical promise, however, is constrained by safety concerns, regulatory barriers, and unsuitability for vulnerable populations such as adolescents. Here we argue, from first principles within the...
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
March 19, 2025
Giulio Ruffini, Edmundo Lopez-Sola, Raul P. Aristides et al.
8 citations
preprint
Abstract Predictive coding frameworks suggest that neural computations rely on hierarchical error minimization, where sensory signals are evaluated against internal model predictions. However, the neural implementation of this inference process remains unclear. We propose that cross-frequency coupling (CFC) furnishes a fundamental mechanism for this form of inference. We first demonstrate that...
Entropy (Basel, Switzerland)
January 19, 2025
Giulio Ruffini, Francesca Castaldo, Jakub Vohryzek
6 citations
In the Kolmogorov Theory of Consciousness, algorithmic agents utilize inferred compressive models to track coarse-grained data produced by simplified world models, capturing regularities that structure subjective experience and guide action planning. Here, we study the dynamical aspects of this framework by examining how the requirement of tracking natural data drives the structural and...
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
December 16, 2024
Jan C. Gendra, Edmundo Lopez-Sola, Francesca Castaldo et al.
7 citations
preprint
Abstract Classical serotonergic psychedelics show promise in addressing neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease by modulating pathological brain dynamics. However, the precise neurobiological mechanisms underlying their effects remain elusive. This study introduces a personalized whole-brain model built upon a laminar neural mass framework to elucidate these effects. Using...
Entropy
November 6, 2024
Giulio Ruffini, Francesca Castaldo, Edmundo Lopez-Sola et al.
10 citations
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a complex, heterogeneous condition affecting millions worldwide. Computational neuropsychiatry offers potential breakthroughs through the mechanistic modeling of this disorder. Using the Kolmogorov theory (KT) of consciousness, we developed a foundational model where algorithmic agents interact with the world to maximize an Objective Function evaluating...