Characterizing Complex Networks Using Entropy-Degree Diagrams: Unveiling Changes in Functional Brain Connectivity Induced by Ayahuasca
Aline Viol, Fernanda Palhano-Fontes, Heloisa Onias, Dráulio Barros de Araújo, Philipp Hövel, G. M. Viswanathan
Entropy January 30, 2019 DOI: 10.3390/e21020128 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Human subjects in resting state |
| Intervention | Ayahuasca |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Functional connectivity Statistical physics Degree music Ecology Thermodynamics |
| Citations | 37 |
| Key findings | Functional brain networks from subjects in the Ayahuasca-altered state have, on average, a larger geodesic entropy compared to the ordinary state. |
Abstract
With the aim of further advancing the understanding of the human brain’s functional connectivity, we propose a network metric which we term the geodesic entropy. This metric quantifies the Shannon entropy of the distance distribution to a specific node from all other nodes. It allows to characterize the influence exerted on a specific node considering statistics of the overall network structure. The measurement and characterization of this structural information has the potential to greatly improve our understanding of sustained activity and other emergent behaviors in networks. We apply this method to study how the psychedelic infusion Ayahuasca affects the functional connectivity of the human brain in resting state. We show that the geodesic entropy is able to differentiate functional networks of the human brain associated with two different states of consciousness in the awaking resting state: (i) the ordinary state and (ii) a state altered by ingestion of the Ayahuasca. The functional brain networks from subjects in the altered state have, on average, a larger geodesic entropy compared to the ordinary state. Finally, we discuss why the geodesic entropy may bring even further valuable insights into the study of the human brain and other empirical networks.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on ayahuasca, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report Patients with a depressive disorder | 2015 | Observational study | |
| The Psychedelic State Induced by Ayahuasca Modulates the Activity and Connectivity of the Default Mode Network Experienced subjects | 2015 | Observational cohort | n = 10 |
| Human Psychopharmacology of Hoasca, A Plant Hallucinogen Used in Ritual Context in Brazil Long-term members of a syncretic church that uses hoasca as a psychoactive sacrament... | 1996 | Observational cohort with matched controls | n = 30 |
| Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada Rural aboriginal population | 2013 | Observational study | |
| Personality, Psychopathology, Life Attitudes and Neuropsychological Performance among Ritual Users of Ayahuasca: A Longitudinal Study Regular ayahuasca users and active controls in non-ayahuasca religions | 2012 | Observational cohort | n = 242 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 21
- Consciousness and complexity: a consilience of evidence Neuroscience of Consciousness 2021
- Meditation Increases the Entropy of Brain Oscillatory Activity Neuroscience February 4, 2020
- Prospective examination of synthetic 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine inhalation: effects on salivary IL-6, cortisol levels, affect, and non-judgment Psychopharmacology December 10, 2019
- A complex systems perspective on psychedelic brain action. Trends in Cognitive Sciences February 3, 2023
- A role for the serotonin 2A receptor in the expansion and functioning of human transmodal cortex. Brain 2024
and 16 more in the library
Cites 10
- The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2014
- The Pharmacology of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide: A Review CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics November 11, 2008
- Human Pharmacology of Ayahuasca: Subjective and Cardiovascular Effects, Monoamine Metabolite Excretion, and Pharmacokinetics Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics June 18, 2003
- Subjective effects and tolerability of the South American psychoactive beverage Ayahuasca in healthy volunteers Psychopharmacology February 22, 2001
- Seeing with the eyes shut: Neural basis of enhanced imagery following ayahuasca ingestion Human Brain Mapping September 16, 2011
and 5 more in the library