Complex neuronal interactions underlie cortical information processing that can be compromised in altered states of consciousness. Here intracortical microstimulation was applied to investigate anesthetic state-dependent effective connectivity of neurons in rat visual cortex in vivo. Extracellular activity was recorded at 32 sites in layers 5/6 while stimulating with charge-balanced discrete...
The typical near-death experience (NDE) is generally understood as an altered state of consciousness that occurs during real or presumed life- threatening and/or near-death circumstances, often including the experiencer’s (NDEr’s) perception of existing as an extrapersonal self out of and/or away from their physical body. The ego, while in this presumed disembodied state, some- times has the...
The human brain is a unique and complex system where neurotransmitters are not merely biological components but may serve as "divine tools" enabling higher states of consciousness. Endogenous DMT (dimethyltryptamine) emerges as a key substance capable of inducing altered states of awareness linked to profound spiritual and mystical experiences. Research suggests that DMT, produced naturally in...
The term "dissociation" encompasses a wide array of symptoms and phenomena, all sharing the common characteristic of involving altered states of consciousness where an individual temporarily loses the sense of continuity of their own identity. In the context of addiction pathology, however, the dissociative paradigm remains a topic of ongoing debate. It fluctuates between the description of...
In Mexico, shamans are recognized for the gift of entering a deep trance that allows them to know the origin of the diseases and conflicts that afflict people. They commonly treat patients through limpias (cleansing) to extract negative elements sent by a witch or that were "collected" in places that harbor "evil winds." We present a case study of an 81-year-old Mexican shaman who noticed her...
The state of twilight consciousness is marked by a focused narrowing of awareness, maintaining vigilance and attention while simultaneously experiencing perceptual shifts in the surrounding environment. It is crucial to recognize that this twilight state represents not just a contraction but also an expansion of conscious experience. Substances of abuse, particularly new psychoactive...
Vajon a módosult tudatállapotokat valóban mint a spontán értelemképződés folyamatait kell leírnunk? Ez lenne a legmegfelelőbb konceptuális keret a megragadásukhoz? Mielőtt egyértelmű nemmel válaszolna, ez a cikk kritikai vizsgálatnak veti alá az egyes fogalmakat: az „értelemképződést”, a „spontaneitást”, a „módosult tudatállapotokat”. Ez a megközelítés segíthet, hogy radikálisan újragondoljuk a...
Hypnosis has sometimes been described as an "altered state of consciousness," but what is "unaltered" consciousness? We approach the issue by first exploring the sense of free will, because it can be lost during hypnosis. However, the argument is developed that free will is an illusion, so should not be present in the waking state. Thus, in a sense, hypnosis is a more accurate state of...
In this time of the so-called psychedelic renaissance, it is “mind-revealing” to rediscover the body of work on LSD therapy by Stanislav Grof. As researcher of the transformative potential of non-ordinary states of consciousness, his observations from over fifty years of LSD research offer a holistic and deeply philosophical approach towards the realms of the human unconscious. Reading his...
The use of psychedelic substances has intrigued, benefited, and challenged humanity for millennia. These substances, found regularly in nature, are known to induce non-ordinary states of consciousness. They provide heightened sensory, emotional and cognitive experiences, which include augmented visual imagery, changes in thought, mood, and awareness, perception of space-time and reality and, in...