Time-resolved coupling between connectome harmonics and subjective experience under the psychedelic DMT
Jakub Vohryzek, Selen Atasoy, Gustavo Deco, Christopher Timmermann, Andrea I. Luppi, Robin Carhart-Harris, Morten L. Kringelbach
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) May 31, 2024 preprint DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.30.596410 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study |
|---|---|
| Intervention | DMT |
| Topics | DMT |
| Keywords | Connectome Consciousness Harmonics Perception Cognition Cognitive psychology |
| Citations | 8 |
| Key findings | The connectome harmonic repertoire under DMT is reshaped similarly to other psychedelics, and measures of energy spectrum difference and repertoire entropy index the intensity of subjective experience in a time-resolved manner. |
Abstract
Exploring the intricate relationship between brain's structure and function, and how this affects subjective experience is a fundamental pursuit in neuroscience. Psychedelic substances offer a unique insight into the influences of specific neurotransmitter systems on perception, cognition and consciousness. Specifically, their impact on brain function propagates across the structural connectome, a network of white matter pathways linking different regions. To comprehensively grasp the effects of psychedelic compounds on brain function, we used a theoretically rigorous framework known as connectome harmonic decomposition. This framework provides a robust method to characterize how brain function intricately depends on the organized network structure of the human connectome. We show that the connectome harmonic repertoire under DMT is reshaped in line with other reported psychedelic compounds; psilocybin, LSD and ketamine. Furthermore, we show that the repertoire entropy of connectome harmonics increases under DMT, as with those other psychedelics. Importantly, we demonstrate for the first time that measures of energy spectrum difference and repertoire entropy of connectome harmonics indexes the intensity of subjective experience of the participants in a time-resolved manner reflecting close coupling between connectome harmonics and subjective experience.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on DMT, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- What fMRI studies say about the nature of the psychedelic effect: a scoping review Frontiers in Neuroscience July 1, 2025
- Connectome harmonic decomposition tracks the presence of disconnected consciousness during ketamine-induced unresponsiveness. British Journal of Anaesthesia April 1, 2025
- Ketamine-Induced Unresponsiveness Shows a Harmonic Shift from Global to Localised Functional Organisation bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) June 25, 2024
- A critical review of brain entropy as a biomarker of the psychedelic state. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews July 1, 2026
- LSD Relaxes Structural Constraints on Brain Dynamics and Default Mode Decoupling Tracks Ego Dissolution bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) March 5, 2026
and 1 more in the library
Cites 17
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study. The Lancet Psychiatry May 17, 2016
- 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
- REBUS and the Anarchic Brain: Toward a Unified Model of the Brain Action of Psychedelics Pharmacological Reviews June 20, 2019
- Neural correlates of the LSD experience revealed by multimodal neuroimaging. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences April 11, 2016
and 12 more in the library