How the activity and connectivity of the brain support consciousness remains a central question in neuroscience. Recent progress driven by the use of functional MRI has seen growing recognition that large-scale distributed functional organisation of the human and non-human primate brain are systematically and consistently reshaped by anaesthetic-induced unconsciousness, across anaesthetics and...
The purpose of the present paper is not to validate the metaphysical claims of yogic traditions, but to examine whether their phenomenological descriptions correspond to measurable physiological processes. The proposal advanced here is explicitly theoretical: a hypothesis-generating model informed by preliminary retrospective clinical observations, not a claim of established proof. All...
Background Breathwork that increases ventilatory rate or depth represents an accessible non-pharmacological modality for potentially inducing altered states of consciousness (ASCs). Despite gaining traction as a potential therapeutic tool, empirical controlled research on breathwork and ASCs remains limited. Methods We examined the effects of a single session of high ventilation breathwork,...
Abstract:The Dhammasaṅgaṇī sets the stage for Theravāda Abhidhamma, in a fine-grained analysis of consciousness that zooms in on the most minutely identifiable or conceptualizable moments of mind. Any such consciousness or mental moment is characterized by a list of dhammas, commonly taken as "phenomena" or defined as cetasikas – accompanying mental factors, with a basic number of 56 elements...
This research paper titled “Rebirth and Near-Death Experiences: A Comparative Study” presents an interdisciplinary analysis of two widely discussed phenomena in consciousness studies. The study examines empirical findings, psychological interpretations, neuroscientific explanations, and survival-based hypotheses related to rebirth reports and near-death experiences (NDEs). Drawing upon...
This paper documents a multi-year self-observation project on lucid dreaming, systematically recording and analyzing the characteristics of dream flow, consciousness control, and subjective experience during the lucid dream state. The work provides a first-person phenomenological analysis of lucid dreams, exploring patterns in dream clarity, stability, and volitional control. This paper...
Debates em PsiquiatriaJune 9, 2026L. Baldaçara, G. A. Rocha, Roberto Mendes Dos Santos et al.
Introduction: Cannabis use and the availability of high-potency cannabis-derived products and synthetic cannabinoids have increased worldwide, contributing to a growing burden of emergency presentations involving intoxication, agitation, psychosis, cardiovascular complications, and other acute toxic effects. Objective: This review aimed to update the clinical approach to emergencies related to...
This working paper presents three falsifiable experimental proposals derived from a systematic critical review of consciousness science (companion paper: Oliva, 2026a). Each proposal targets a specific, unaddressed gap at the intersection of brain biomineralization, quantum biology, and established neural correlates of consciousness — gaps that have remained open for 2 to 22 years despite being...
ABSTRACT As the state of Florida continues to foster its reputation as a conservative political bastion, questions arise about women's experiences in the state—especially in spiritual, religious, and consciousness contexts. Drawing from both feminist anthropology and the anthropology of consciousness frameworks, “Mediumship in the Free State of Florida” discusses women's experiences in the...
Neural correlates of consciousness (NCC) studies have faced two kinds of confounding empirical findings: multiple peaks and excessive activations recorded by ERP in the temporal domain and by fMRI in the spatial domain, respectively. These confounds have led to the well-known proposals of multiple NCCs and no-report paradigms. However, ‘the exact neural underpinnings of conscious experience...