Neural tracking at theta predicts drumming-induced altered states of consciousness
Y. J. Gordon, Golan Karvat, Noa Dagan, Ayelet N. Landau
Scientific Reports March 26, 2026 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-37700-x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Within-subjects experimental design Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 40 |
| Population | Human participants |
| Intervention | delta |
| Duration | Ten-minute drumming sessions per rhythm |
| Topics | Altered states of consciousness |
| Keywords | Consciousness Electroencephalography Neural activity Tracking education Task project management Alpha rhythm Cognition Cognitive psychology Wakefulness Alpha finance Transcranial magnetic stimulation Cognitive neuroscience Brain mapping |
| Key findings | Theta-frequency drumming (4 beats per second) selectively induces altered states of consciousness, and stronger theta-band neural tracking is linked to greater altered experience. |
Abstract
Altered states of consciousness (ASC) involve shifts in perception, cognition, and awareness, offering a unique lens on the nature of consciousness. Across cultures, rhythmic drumming in the theta range (4-7 Hz) is often used to induce such states, but it remains unclear whether actively enhancing brain rhythms in this range can cause ASC. We tested whether theta-frequency drumming (4 beats per second) selectively induces ASC compared to rhythms in the delta and alpha ranges. Forty participants listened to ten-minute drumming sessions at each rhythm while EEG was recorded. After each session, they completed an altered experience questionnaire and a time estimation task - an implicit ASC measure. Rhythmic neural tracking at theta was linked to stronger altered experience. Furthermore, participants with stronger theta-band neural tracking to 4-bps drumming tended to report higher ASC across all drumming rhythms, suggesting that neural tracking at this rhythm might serve as a neural marker of susceptibility. These rhythm-specific effects indicate a bidirectional relationship between theta activity and ASC: not only do theta activity accompany ASC, it may actively modulate it. These findings shed new light on the neural dynamics of consciousness and suggest that rhythmic stimulation could serve as a non-pharmacological method for modulating conscious states, with potential applications in cognitive neuroscience and therapeutic contexts.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on altered states of consciousness, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Standardized Psychometric Assessment of Altered States of Consciousness (ASCs) in Humans Healthy subjects in six countries | 1998 | Experimental and field study | n = 1,133 |
| TMS-EEG and resting-state EEG applied to altered states of consciousness: oscillations, complexity, and phenomenology. | 2023 | Experimental study | |
| A Test of the Psychedelic Model of Altered States of Consciousness | 1976 | Experimental study with comparison groups | |
| Neural Correlates of Non-ordinary States of Consciousness in Pranayama Practitioners: The Role of Slow Nasal Breathing Experienced meditators | 2022 | Within-subjects comparison | n = 12 |
| Increased spontaneous EEG signal diversity during stroboscopically-induced altered states of consciousness Healthy adults | 2019 | Experimental study |
Citations in the library
Cites 10
- Psychobiology of Altered States of Consciousness. Psychological Bulletin 2005
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- Predicting Reactions to Psychedelic Drugs: A Systematic Review of States and Traits Related to Acute Drug Effects. ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science March 5, 2021
- Brain Network Reconfiguration and Perceptual Decoupling During an Absorptive State of Consciousness. Cerebral Cortex July 1, 2016
- Shamanism as the Original Neurotheology Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science March 1, 2004
and 5 more in the library