Effective Connectivity of Functionally Anticorrelated Networks Under Lysergic Acid Diethylamide.
Devon Stoliker, Leonardo Novelli, Franz X. Vollenweider, Gary F. Egan, Katrin H. Preller, Adeel Razi
Biological Psychiatry February 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.07.013 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study with placebo control Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 25 |
| Population | Healthy adults |
| Intervention | Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) |
| Dose | 100 μg |
| Topics | Ego dissolution LSD |
| Keywords | Anticorrelated networks Dynamic causal modeling Effective connectivity Psychedelics LSD Acid Hallucinogens Neuroscience brain networks Neural connectivity Brain imaging Consciousness self-perception Self-awareness |
| Citations | 49 |
| Key findings | LSD transforms inhibitory effective connectivity from the salience network to the default mode network into excitatory connectivity and reduces inhibition from the default mode network to the dorsal attention network, potentially underlying ego dissolution. |
Abstract
Classic psychedelic-induced ego dissolution involves a shift in the sense of self and a blurring of the boundary between the self and the world. A similar phenomenon is identified in psychopathology and is associated with the balance of anticorrelated activity between the default mode network, which directs attention inward, and the salience network, which recruits the dorsal attention network to direct attention outward. To test whether changes in anticorrelated networks underlie the peak effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), we applied dynamic causal modeling to infer effective connectivity of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans from a study of 25 healthy adults who were administered 100 μg of LSD or placebo. We found that inhibitory effective connectivity from the salience network to the default mode network became excitatory, and inhibitory effective connectivity from the default mode network to the dorsal attention network decreased under the peak effect of LSD. The effective connectivity changes we identified may reflect diminution of the functional anticorrelation between resting-state networks that may be a key neural mechanism of LSD and underlie ego dissolution. Our findings suggest that changes to the sense of self and subject-object boundaries across different states of consciousness may depend upon the organized balance of effective connectivity of resting-state networks.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
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LSD transformed inhibitory effective connectivity from the salience network to the default mode network into excitatory connectivity and reduced default mode-to-dorsal attention inhibition, changes proposed to underlie ego dissolution.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on LSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety and Efficacy of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide-Assisted Psychotherapy for Anxiety Associated With Life-threatening Diseases Patients with anxiety associated with life-threatening diseases | 2014 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 12 |
| Dose-Response Study of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine in Humans Experienced hallucinogen users | 1994 | Double-blind, saline placebo-controlled, randomized study | n = 12 |
| Acute Effects of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in Healthy Subjects Healthy subjects (8 women, 8 men) | 2014 | Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study | n = 16 |
| Changes in global and thalamic brain connectivity in LSD-induced altered states of consciousness are attributable to the 5-HT2A receptor Healthy human participants | 2018 | Double-blind, randomized, counterbalanced, cross-over study | n = 24 |
| LSD-induced entropic brain activity predicts subsequent personality change. Healthy adults | 2016 | Balanced-order, placebo-controlled study | n = 19 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 35
- Antidepressant and anxiolytic effects of activating 5HT2A receptors in the anterior cingulate cortex and the theoretical mechanisms underlying them - A scoping review of available literature. Brain Research 2025
- On the varieties of conscious experiences: Altered Beliefs Under Psychedelics (ALBUS). Neuroscience of Consciousness 2025
- Neural Mechanisms of Resting-State Networks and the Amygdala Underlying the Cognitive and Emotional Effects of Psilocybin Biological Psychiatry January 5, 2024
- Unique Psychological Mechanisms Underlying Psilocybin Therapy Versus Escitalopram Treatment in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction March 7, 2024
- Neural mechanisms of psychedelic visual imagery. Molecular Psychiatry April 1, 2025
and 30 more in the library
Cites 50
- A default mode of brain function Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 16, 2001
- The Brain's Default Mode Network Annual Review of Neuroscience May 4, 2015
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
and 45 more in the library