Neural correlates of the LSD experience revealed by multimodal neuroimaging.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A April 11, 2016 Robin L. Carhart-Harris, Suresh Muthukumaraswamy, Leor Roseman et al. 887 citations
LSD produces marked changes in brain activity that correlate with its psychological effects. Increased blood flow in the visual cortex, decreased alpha power there, and an expanded functional connectivity profile of the primary visual cortex strongly correlated with visual hallucinations, suggesting that intrinsic brain activity influences visual processing more during the psychedelic state. Decreased connectivity between the parahippocampus and retrosplenial cortex correlated strongly with ego-dissolution and altered meaning, indicating this circuit's role in maintaining the self and processing meaning. Different imaging metrics showed strong relationships, allowing firmer inferences about their functional significance.