Landmark study
July 20, 2017 DOI: 10.4324/9781315115092-14 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Within-subject placebo-controlled brain imaging study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 15 |
| Population | 15 participants scanned while on LSD and while on placebo |
| Intervention | LSD |
| Key points | Under LSD, normally distinct brain regions showed increased communication (global connectivity), and this increase correlated with participants' reports of ego dissolution. The authors propose that the mystical experience of 'being one with the universe' may arise when the brain's representation of the self is engulfed by its representations of the external world. |
Abstract
In April 2016, a team of researchers conducted the first modern brain imaging study on the effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). The researchers scanned 15 participants while they were on LSD versus a placebo. Among many things, they found that brain regions that are normally relatively distinct increased their communication. This increase in global connectivity correlated with the participants&s; reports of ego dissolution. This study informs not only about the neural underpinnings of psychedelic experiences, but also about the functionality of human consciousness. That the mystical experience of "being one with the universe" may be created by a highly active and interconnected brain where every part becomes highly connected with every other part makes sense. The brain&s;s representation of the self is engulfed by the brain&s;s representations of the external world, and an experience of oneness and unity could plausibly arise from this global functional connectivity.