Brain Networks, Neurotransmitters and Psychedelics: Towards a Neurochemistry of Self-Awareness.
Daniel C Mograbi, Rafael S. Rodrigues, Bheatrix Bienemann, Jonathan Huntley
Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports August 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1007/s11910-024-01353-y (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Psychedelics |
| Topics | LSD Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Interoception Agency Emotional regulation Self-awareness metacognition Introspection Self-reflection Emotional processing Psychedelics hallucinogens Entheogens Psychoactive substances |
| Citations | 12 |
| Key findings | Psychedelics can improve emotional regulation and autobiographical memory, indicating changes in higher-order self-awareness, while bodily self-awareness alterations are less consistent and depend on dose and clinical context. |
Abstract
Self-awareness can be defined as the capacity of becoming the object of one's own awareness and, increasingly, it has been the target of scientific inquiry. Self-awareness has important clinical implications, and a better understanding of the neurochemical basis of self-awareness may help clarifying causes and developing interventions for different psychopathological conditions. The current article explores the relationship between neurochemistry and self-awareness, with special attention to the effects of psychedelics. The functioning of self-related networks, such as the default-mode network and the salience network, and how these are influenced by different neurotransmitters is discussed. The impact of psychedelics on self-awareness is reviewed in relation to specific processes, such as interoception, body ownership, agency, metacognition, emotional regulation and autobiographical memory, within a framework based on predictive coding. Improved outcomes in emotional regulation and autobiographical memory have been observed in association with the use of psychedelics, suggesting higher-order self-awareness changes, which can be modulated by relaxation of priors and improved coping mechanisms linked to cognitive flexibility. Alterations in bodily self-awareness are less consistent, being potentially impacted by doses employed, differences in acute/long-term effects and the presence of clinical conditions. Future studies investigating the effects of different molecules in rebalancing connectivity between resting-state networks may lead to novel therapeutic approaches and the refinement of existing treatments.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on LSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study of a New Schizophrenomimetic Drug—Sernyl | 1959 | Review | |
| Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function. General population | 2019 | Integrative review | |
| The Pharmacology of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide: A Review | 2008 | Review | |
| Serotonin research: contributions to understanding psychoses | 2008 | Review | |
| ADVERSE REACTIONS TO PSYCHEDELIC DRUGS. A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE | 1984 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- Comparison between Single-Dose and Two-Dose Psilocybin Administration in the Treatment of Major Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Current Clinical Trials Brain Sciences August 18, 2024
- OAV and 5D-ASC for Brazilian Portuguese: A validation and adaptation study. Journal of Psychopharmacology June 28, 2025
- Metacognitive Feelings of Epistemic Gain are Central to the Understanding of Psychedelic-Induced Mystical-Type Experiences Cognitive Therapy and Research March 29, 2025
- The transformational power of psychedelics: catalysts for creativity, consciousness, and mental health. Molecular Psychiatry September 30, 2025
- Hallucinogen-Assisted Psychotherapy for Trauma Disorders: A Bionian Lens. Psychodynamic psychiatry June 1, 2026
and 3 more in the library
Cites 89
- Psychosis as a state of aberrant salience: a framework linking biology, phenomenology, and pharmacology in schizophrenia. American Journal of Psychiatry 2003
- Interoceptive inference, emotion, and the embodied self Trends in Cognitive Sciences October 12, 2013
- Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression New England Journal of Medicine April 14, 2021
- The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2014
- Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 23, 2012
and 84 more in the library