Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
July 16, 2022
Magic mushrooms reduce stress and distress primarily through inducing feelings of affection and a sense of oneness. This leads to changes in the brain, known as brain adaptability. MRI imaging studies show that psilocybin alters brain activity, enabling communication between brain regions that do not normally interact, which is considered important for the breakthroughs people report.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
May 13, 2022
Liliana Irizabal
A systematic review of published research indicates that psychedelic psychotherapy can reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Psilocybin and ayahuasca (DMT) were associated with decreased anxiety and depression when administered in specific doses. MDMA was associated with reduced PTSD symptoms. The authors note that research is limited and more studies are needed, but the existing evidence shows promising results.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
April 30, 2022
ASV Prasad
Dreams are virtual repetitions during sleep of what we perceive and act on while awake. Sensory inputs and motor outputs are suspended during dreams, and the ascending reticular activating system is deactivated. The brain's electrical networks differ between waking and sleeping states, yet people still see images of persons and places in dreams. Dreams may be unconscious recollection and replay of past experiences, linked to memory formation, consolidation, and retrieval. The same brain parts involved in memory and emotions—hippocampus and amygdala—are involved in dreams, with higher brain centers constructing a storyline. The posterior cortical hot zone is considered the factory of dreams. Multiple theories and approaches exist, none holding the whole truth, and this article reviews neuroanatomy, electrophysiology, REM sleep changes, and related clinical entities.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
April 3, 2022
Van der Sypt Frederick A.p.
An accessible procedure called MESQ (Microscale Extraction followed by Scanometric Quantitative thin-layer chromatography) was validated for measuring mescaline in live cactus tissue and aqueous extracts. The method was tested on Lophophora williamsii (peyote) and three Echinopsis species. It revealed a previously unknown radial mescaline gradient in L. williamsii and a longitudinal gradient in Echinopsis species. A predictable correlation appeared between mescaline concentration in targeted biopsies and overall cactus strength. The procedure supports selective propagation of mescaline-rich specimens to protect wild populations and helps users dose extracts accurately, contributing to harm reduction for both the cacti and their users.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
December 18, 2021
Harriet A. Carroll
MDMA (ecstasy) caused blood sugar dysregulation and high insulin levels in two female scientists who tested it on themselves, compared to a no-drug control day. The drug raised the stress hormone cortisol in both, but only one showed an increase in copeptin (a marker of the water-balance hormone AVP). That same person produced less urine, felt thirstier, and had a drier mouth. Because glucose problems occurred without consistent AVP elevation, cortisol—not AVP—is likely the main driver. The findings are preliminary and need replication in larger, therapeutic-style studies.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
May 20, 2021
Ibogaine, a natural alkaloid from the African Tabernanthe iboga shrub, is used to treat addiction to substances such as heroin, cocaine, and alcohol. It removes withdrawal symptoms and addresses underlying factors like depression, anxiety, and stress. The product is offered in various forms including root bark, powder, and HCl, sourced from Cameroon and Gabon. Its traditional use in Central African ceremonies for healing and initiation is noted. The treatment is described as safe, effective, and affordable, with the goal of resetting neurotransmitters and facilitating psychological and spiritual transformation through introspective experiences.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
January 15, 2020
Christina Citterio
Chronic stress can cause physical and mental illness even in children, especially in the school performance context. According to theory, stress management in elementary school children can be achieved through resource promotion, which is divided into resilience and health promotion. Social pedagogues can introduce mindfulness and meditation techniques in schools to support children's stress management and health, providing a tool helpful in other challenging life situations. These techniques could also benefit other areas of social work.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
August 31, 2019
Manca Peskar
In treatment-resistant depression, openness to experience and its neural correlates were examined before and after a psilocybin-assisted intervention. The study aimed to extend personality neuroscience findings from healthy individuals to depressed populations and to uncover neural mechanisms that might mediate clinical improvements. The results suggest that changes in openness are linked to specific brain activity patterns, potentially underlying therapeutic benefits.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
January 25, 2018
Aurobinda Routray, Laxmi Shaw
A method using electroencephalography (EEG) and wavelet transform combined with artificial intelligence pattern recognition can detect moments of mental coherence during meditation. The approach processes EEG signals through wavelet decomposition to identify neural patterns associated with a focused, coherent mental state. Results suggest that this computational technique reliably distinguishes coherent from non-coherent brain activity, offering a potential tool for objective meditation assessment.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
April 1, 2016
Alastair Waterman
A new EEG metric called spatial efficiency (η) tracks both the level and internal structure of consciousness. η measures how organized brain oscillations are across frequency bands, independent of signal amplitude. Across four datasets, η outperformed existing metrics: it distinguished consciousness levels during propofol sedation with near-perfect accuracy (AUC=0.970), tracked sleep stages in the expected order (Wake > REM > N2 > N3), and revealed that N2 sleep has the highest structural tension between organized and dissipated energy—a finding no other metric captures. During a reversal learning task, η transiently dropped at the moment of rule change while the complementary angle metric rose, showing sensitivity to within-consciousness reorganization. The authors argue this two-dimensional framework is theoretically grounded and overcomes the limitation of one-dimensional consciousness metrics.