Abstract Background and aims Altered states of consciousness (ASC) represent acute and marked deviations from normal waking consciousness. Investigations into ASC are significant to problems in medicine, science, and philosophy, including the structure of conscious experience. Here, we conducted a preliminary investigation into the structure of ASC while addressing the role of psychedelics,...
This report explores the speculative question: what if current or future AI systems have qualia, such as pain or pleasure? It does so by assuming that AI systems might someday possess qualia -- and that the quality of these subjective experiences should be considered alongside performance metrics. Concrete mathematical problem settings, inspired by reinforcement learning formulations and...
This paper introduces the Emergent Predictive Experience Theory (EPET), an integrative framework addressing the hard problem of consciousness from a non-reductive emergentist physicalist perspective. EPET synthesizes key insights from Predictive Processing (PP), Global Workspace Theory (GWT), embodied cognition, and core Buddhist philosophical principles (notably Anattā - no-self, and...
Communications medicineMay 16, 2025Amanda M Y Chu, Jenny T Y Tsang, Sophia S C Chan et al.5 citations
Long COVID, the persistent illness following COVID-19 infection, has emerged as a major public health concern since the outbreak of the pandemic. Effective disease surveillance is crucial for policymaking and resource allocation. We investigated the potential of utilizing Google Trends data to enhance long COVID symptoms surveillance. Though Google Trends provides freely available search...
Dreaming, a universal phenomenon linked to REM sleep, arises from intricate interactions between limbic regions, cortical networks, and neurotransmitter dynamics. Neuroimaging highlights amygdala and hippocampal hyperactivity alongside prefrontal cortex hypoactivity, elucidating the emotional vividness and cognitive disorganization of dreams. Cholinergic pathways drive REM sleep, while...
The popular predictive processing (PP) framework posits prediction error minimization (PEM) as the sole mechanism in the brain that can account for all mental phenomena, including consciousness. I first highlight three ambitions associated with major presentations of PP: (1) Completeness (PP aims for a comprehensive account of mental phenomena), (2) Bayesian realism (PP claims that PEM is...
AbstractBackgroundThere is a need to systemically diversify psychedelic clinical trials, considering the growing interest in in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics within Black, Indigenous, and Peoples of Color (BIPOC) and queer communities. Doing so contributes to a more inclusive foundation of evidence-based research and addresses ethical considerations surrounding anticipated demand...
Abstract Musico-healing practices play a key role in indigenous and mestizo traditional medicine in the Amazon. The curative songs or icaros used by the curanderos (traditional healers) of the Peruvian Upper Amazon are administered alongside the psychoactive plant decoction ayahuasca in ritual settings. This Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis examines musical experiences of 6 participants...
Subcortical arousal systems are known to play a key role in controlling sustained changes in attention and conscious awareness. Recent studies indicate that these systems have a major influence on short-term dynamic modulation of visual attention, but their role across sensory modalities is not fully understood. In this study, we investigated shared subcortical arousal systems across sensory...
The sacred cosmic sound "Om" (or " ॐ ") is one of the most profound and universally recognized symbols in Hinduism, embodying the essence of the universe and ultimate reality (Brahman). This research explores the origins, metaphysical significance, and contemporary relevance of Om within Hinduism, as well as its influence in other religious traditions and modern spiritual practices. The study...