Neuropsychiatria i Neuropsychologia
January 1, 2018
Anastasia Ruban, Aleksandra Kołodziej
20 citations
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy may work by reducing activity and functional connectivity within the default-mode network (DMN), a brain system linked to self-referential thought and rumination. The review suggests that psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD temporarily disrupt DMN integrity, allowing for a more flexible, less rigid pattern of brain activity that could help patients break out of maladaptive thought patterns. This neural change is proposed as a key indicator of therapeutic effectiveness for conditions such as depression, anxiety, and addiction. The authors call for further research to confirm the causal relationship between DMN modulation and clinical outcomes.
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry
January 10, 2025
Anastasia Ruban, Mikołaj Magnuski, Justyna Hobot et al.
1 citation
People who use psychedelics in natural settings show weaker increases in alpha and beta brainwave power when thinking about themselves, compared to non-users, especially in regions like the posterior cingulate cortex that handle self-related information and memory. However, these differences were not replicated in a second, smaller dataset, limiting confidence in the finding. The results contribute to ongoing debate about how long psychedelic effects last in brain circuits linked to self-processing and question the specific role of default-mode network hubs in such changes.
February 3, 2024
Anastasia Ruban, Mikołaj Magnuski, Justyna Hobot et al.
1 citation
preprint
People who have used psychedelics in naturalistic settings show weaker increases in alpha and beta brain-wave power during self-related thoughts compared to non-users, particularly in regions linked to self-processing and memory. This pattern appeared in one dataset of 70 participants but was not replicated in a second dataset of 38 participants, possibly due to the smaller sample and spatial resolution limits. The non-replicability restricts interpretation, but the work adds to understanding how psychedelic use relates to self-related thoughts and well-being, important for assessing mental health impacts.