A complex systems perspective on psychedelic brain action.
Manesh Girn, Fernando E. Rosas, Richard E. Daws, Courtney L. Gallen, Adam Gazzaley, Robin Carhart-Harris
Trends Cogn Sci February 3, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.01.003 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Neuroplasticity |
| Keywords | Psychedelic compounds Hallucinogens Entheogens Mind-altering substances Brain flexibility Brain connectivity Brain adaptability Brain activity Brain signals Brain reset Psychedelics brain reorganization Psychedelics neural plasticity Mental health therapy Mental health treatment Psychiatric treatment Therapeutic promise Psychological benefits Mental well-being Psychedelics therapeutic potential |
| Citations | 76 |
| Key points | Proposes that psychedelics induce a mode of brain function that is more dynamically flexible, diverse, integrated, and tuned for information sharing, consistent with greater criticality. |
Abstract
Recent findings suggesting the potential transdiagnostic efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapy have fostered the need to deepen our understanding of psychedelic brain action. Functional neuroimaging investigations have found that psychedelics reduce the functional segregation of large-scale brain networks. However, beyond this general trend, findings have been largely inconsistent. We argue here that a perspective based on complexity science that foregrounds the distributed, interactional, and dynamic nature of brain function may render these inconsistencies intelligible. We propose that psychedelics induce a mode of brain function that is more dynamically flexible, diverse, integrated, and tuned for information sharing, consistent with greater criticality. This 'meta' perspective has the potential to unify past findings and guide intuitions toward compelling mechanistic models.