SchizophreniaNeuroimaging & Brain Measures

The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs

This seminal paper (2014) introduces the entropic brain hypothesis intending to build a bridge between neuroscience and psychoanalytic theories. The entropic brain hypothesis proposes two different forms of cognition, one being more 'critical' and unconstrained (whilst under psychedelics). It has become one of the major theories underlying our understanding of how psychedelics exert their therapeutic effects.

Authors

  • Enzo Tagliazucchi
  • Robin Carhart-Harris
  • David Nutt

Published

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
meta Study

Abstract

Entropy is a dimensionless quantity that is used for measuring uncertainty about the state of a system but it can also imply physical qualities, where high entropy is synonymous with high disorder. Entropy is applied here in the context of states of consciousness and their associated neurodynamics, with a particular focus on the psychedelic state. The psychedelic state is considered an exemplar of a primitive or primary state of consciousness that preceded the development of modern, adult, human, normal waking consciousness. Based on neuroimaging data with psilocybin, a classic psychedelic drug, it is argued that the defining feature of “primary states” is elevated entropy in certain aspects of brain function, such as the repertoire of functional connectivity motifs that form and fragment across time. Indeed, since there is a greater repertoire of connectivity motifs in the psychedelic state than in normal waking consciousness, this implies that primary states may exhibit “criticality,” i.e., the property of being poised at a “critical” point in a transition zone between order and disorder where certain phenomena such as power-law scaling appear. Moreover, if primary states are critical, then this suggests that entropy is suppressed in normal waking consciousness, meaning that the brain operates just below criticality. It is argued that this entropy suppression furnishes normal waking consciousness with a constrained quality and associated metacognitive functions, including reality-testing and self-awareness. It is also proposed that entry into primary states depends on a collapse of the normally highly organized activity within the default-mode network (DMN) and a decoupling between the DMN and the medial temporal lobes (which are normally significantly coupled). These hypotheses can be tested by examining brain activity and associated cognition in other candidate primary states such as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and early psychosis and comparing these with non-primary states such as normal waking consciousness and the anaesthetized state.

Available with Blossom Pro

Research Summary of 'The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs'

Introduction

Carhart-Harris and colleagues present a synthetic theory—the entropic brain hypothesis—that links principles from physics, neurobiology and psychoanalysis to explain differences between normal adult waking consciousness and a class of regressive or ‘‘primary’’ conscious states (for example, the psychedelic state, REM sleep and early psychosis). The paper frames entropy, in the information-theoretical sense, as a quantitative index of a brain's uncertainty or disorder, and proposes that subjective experiences of puzzlement or loosened reality-testing accompany increased system entropy. It positions self-organised criticality and Friston's free-energy ideas as conceptual scaffolding for relating dynamical brain properties to conscious style. The study sets out to argue that the psychedelic state exemplifies a high-entropy or near-critical mode of brain function, and to map candidate neural correlates of the ‘‘ego’’ or self-boundary—notably activity, synchrony and coupling within the default mode network (DMN) and between the DMN and the medial temporal lobes (MTLs). Using previously published neuroimaging findings (ASL, BOLD fMRI and MEG) with psilocybin alongside theoretical argument, the authors propose testable hypotheses about how DMN integrity, DMN–MTL coupling, oscillatory activity (especially PCC alpha) and measures of network metastability and entropy distinguish primary from secondary consciousness. A secondary aim is to show how psychedelics can serve as an experimental tool to probe psychoanalytic constructs within cognitive neuroscience.

Expert Research Summaries

Go Pro to access AI-powered section-by-section summaries, editorial takes, and the full research toolkit.

Full Text PDF

Full Paper PDF

Create a free account to open full-text PDFs.

Study Details

References (25)

Papers cited by this study that are also in Blossom

Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin

Carhart-Harris, R. L., Erritzoe, D., Williams, T. et al. · PNAS (2012)

Functional connectivity measures after psilocybin inform a novel hypothesis of early psychosis

Carhart-Harris, R. L., Leech, R., Erritzoe, D. et al. · Schizophrenia Bulletin (2012)

241 cited
492 cited
User perceptions of the benefits and harms of hallucinogenic drug use: A web-based questionnaire study

Carhart-Harris, R. L., Nutt, D. J. · Journal of Substance Use (2010)

Flashback: psychiatric experimentation with LSD in historical perspective

Dyck, E. · Canadian Journal of Psychiatry (2005)

Hallucinogens recruit specific cortical 5-HT(2A) receptor-mediated signaling pathways to affect behavior

Gonza ´lez-Maeso, J., Weisstaub, N. V., Zhou, M. et al. · Neuron (2007)

818 cited
Psilocybin occasioned mystical-type experiences: immediate and persisting dose-related effects

Griffiths, R. R., Johnson, M. W., Richards, W. A. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2011)

Show all 25 references
Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance

Griffiths, R. R., Richards, W. A., Mccann, U. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2006)

Pilot study of psilocybin treatment for anxiety in patients with advanced-stage cancer

Grob, C. S., Danforth, A. L., Chopra, G. S. et al. · JAMA Psychiatry (2011)

Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety

Johnson, M. W., Richards, W. A., Griffiths, R. R. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2008)

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for alcoholism: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Krebs, T. S., Johansen, P. Ø. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2012)

Mystical experiences occasioned by the hallucinogen psilocybin lead to increases in the personality domain of openness

Maclean, K. A., Johnson, M. W., Griffiths, R. R. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2011)

Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of Psilocybin in 9 Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Moreno, F. A., Wiegand, C. B., Taitano, E. K. et al. · Journal of Clinical Psychiatry (2006)

Broadband Cortical Desynchronization Underlies the Human Psychedelic State

Muthukumaraswamy, S. D., Carhart-Harris, R. L., Moran, R. J. et al. · Journal of Neuroscience (2013)

427 cited
Hallucinogens

Nichols, D. E. · Pharmacology and Therapeutics (2004)

Effects of Schedule I drug laws on neuroscience research and treatment innovation

King, C., Nichols, D. E. · Nature Reviews Neuroscience (2013)

Acute, subacute and long-term subjective effects of psilocybin in healthy humans: a pooled analysis of experimental studies

Studerus, E., Kometer, M., Hasler, F. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2010)

423 cited
Harm potential of magic mushroom use: A review

Van Amsterdam, J., Opperhuizen, A., Van Den Brink, W. · Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology (2011)

169 cited
Effects of acute MDMA intoxication on mood and impulsivity: role of the 5-HT 2 and 5-HT 1 receptors

Van Wel, J. H. P., Kuypers, K. P. C., Theunissen, E. L. et al. · PLOS ONE (2012)

Psilocybin induces schizophrenia-like psychosis in humans via a serotonin-2 agonist action

Vollenweider, F. X., Vollenweider-Scherpenhuyzen, M. F. I., Bäbler, A. et al. · NeuroReport (1998)

Cited By (217)

Papers in Blossom that reference this study

A randomized clinical trial of repeated doses of psilocybin for the treatment of obsessive–compulsive disorder

Moreno, F. A., Allen, K. E., Wiegand, C. B. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2026)

The effects of psilocybin on time perception in humans: A comparative analysis of subjective and objective measures

Scholle, P., Wenke, Š., Nekovářová, T. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2026)

Time-resolved Neural and Experience Dynamics of Medium- and High-dose N,N-Dimethyltryptamine

Lewis-Healey, E., Pallavicini, C., Cavanna, F. et al. · Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience (2025)

DMT-induced shifts in criticality correlate with self-dissolution

Irrmischer, M., Aqil, M., Luan, L. et al. · Journal of Neuroscience (2025)

7 cited
N,N-dimethyltryptamine effects on connectome harmonics, subjective experience and comparative psychedelic experiences

Vohryzek, J., Luppi, A. I., Atasoy, S. et al. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2025)

Show all 217 papers
Enhanced meaning in life following psychedelic use: converging evidence from controlled and naturalistic studies

Roseby, W., Kettner, H., Roseman, L. et al. · Frontiers in Psychology (2025)

Exploring 5-MeO-DMT as a pharmacological model for deconstructed consciousness

Timmermann, C., Sanders, J. W., Reydellet, D. et al. · Neuroscience of Consciousness (2025)

Network control energy reductions under DMT relate to serotonin receptors, signal diversity, and subjective experience

Singleton, S. P., Timmermann, C., Luppi, A. I. et al. · Communications Biology (2025)

Transient destabilization of whole brain dynamics induced by N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT)

Piccinini, J. I., Perl, Y. S., Pallavicini, C. et al. · Communications Biology (2025)

Psychedelics Align Brain Activity with Context

Stoliker, D., Novelli, L., Khajehnejad, M. et al. · Biorxiv (2025)

On the Varieties of Conscious Experiences: Altered Beliefs Under Psychedelics (ALBUS)

Safron, A., Juliani, A., Reggente, N. et al. · Neuroscience of Consciousness (2025)

A qualitative analysis of the psychedelic mushroom come-up and come-down

Brouwer, A., Brown, J., Erowid, E. et al. · npj Mental Health Research (2025)

From relaxed beliefs under psychedelics (REBUS) to revised beliefs after psychedelics (REBAS)

Zeifman, R. J., Spriggs, M. J., Kettner, H. et al. · Scientific Reports (2025)

24 cited
Human brain changes after first psilocybin use

Lyons, T., Spriggs, M. J., Kerkelä, L. et al. · Biorxiv (2024)

Mind over matter: the microbial mindscapes of psychedelics and the gut-brain axis

Caspani, G., Ruffell, S. G. D., Tsang, WF. et al. · Pharmacological Research (2024)

An Integrated theory of false insights and beliefs under psychedelics

McGovern, H., Grimmer, H. J., Doss, M. K. et al. · Communications Psychology (2024)

Psilocybin desynchronizes brain networks

Nicol, G. E. · Nature (2024)

160 cited
LSD flattens the hierarchy of directed information flow in fast whole-brain dynamics

Shinozuka, K., Tewarie, P. K. B., Luppi, A. et al. · Biorxiv (2024)

Psychedelics and the 'inner healer': Myth or mechanism?

Peill, J. M., Marguilho, M., Erritzoe, D. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2024)

11 cited
The unique neural signature of your trip: Functional connectome fingerprints of subjective psilocybin experience

Tolle, H. M., Farah, J. C., Mallaroni, P. et al. · Network Neuroscience (2024)

Brain substates induced by DMT relate to sympathetic output and meaningfulness of the experience

Pasquini, L., Simon, A. J., Gallen, C. L. et al. · Biorxiv (2024)

4 cited
Exploring mechanisms of psychedelic action using neuroimaging

Erritzoe, D., Timmermann, C., Godfrey, K. et al. · Nature Mental Health (2024)

28 cited
Psychedelics and sexual functioning: a mixed-methods study

Barba, T., Kettne, H., Radu, C. et al. · Scientific Reports (2024)

19 cited
Neural complexity is increased after low doses of LSD, but not moderate to high doses of oral THC or methamphetamine

Murray, C., Frohlich, J, Haggarty, C. J., Tare, I. et al. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2024)

Effects of external stimulation on psychedelic state neurodynamics

Mediano, P. A. M., Rosas, F. E., Timmermann, C. et al. · ACS Chemical Neuroscience (2024)

Shared functional connectome fingerprints following ritualistic ayahuasca intake

Mallaroni, P., Mason, N. L., Kloft, L. et al. · NeuroImage (2024)

The Bodily Self from Psychosis to Psychedelics

Harduf, A., Panishev, G., Harel, E. V. et al. · Scientific Reports (2023)

The entropic heart: Tracking the psychedelic state via heart rate dynamics

Rosas, F. E., Mediano, P. A. M., Timmermann, C. et al. · Biorxiv (2023)

Psilocybin-assisted therapy for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Haikazian, S., Chen-Li, D., Johnson, D. et al. · Psychiatry Research (2023)

The ego in psychedelic drug action - ego defenses, ego boundaries, and the therapeutic role of regression

Buchborn, T., Kettner, H., Kartner, L. et al. · Frontiers in Neuroscience (2023)

Dynamic Functional Hyperconnectivity after Psilocybin Intake is Primarily Associated with Oceanic Boundlessness

Mortaheb, S., Fort, L. D., Mason, N. L. et al. · Biological Psychiatry (2023)

20 cited
HOPE: A Pilot Study of Psilocybin Enhanced Group Psychotherapy in Patients with Cancer

Lewis, B. R., Garland, E. L., Byrne, K. et al. · Journal of Pain and Symptom Management (2023)

49 cited
Harmonic decomposition of spacetime (HADES) framework characterises the spacetime hierarchy of the DMT brain state

Vohryzek, J., Cabral, J., Timmermann, C. et al. · National Science Review (2023)

A complex systems perspective on psychedelic brain action

Girn, M., Rosas, F. E., Daws, R. E. et al. · Trends in Cognitive Sciences (2023)

A whole-brain model of the neural entropy increase elicited by psychedelic drugs

Herzog, R., Mediano, P. A. M., Rosas, F. E. et al. · Scientific Reports (2023)

Human brain effects of DMT assessed via EEG-fMRI

Timmermann, C., Roseman, L., Haridas, S. et al. · PNAS (2023)

158 cited
Canalization and plasticity in psychopathology

Carhart-Harris, R. L., Chandaria, S., Erritzoe, D. E. et al. · Neuropharmacology (2023)

N,N-dimethyltryptamine affects EEG response in a concentration dependent manner - a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic analysis

Eckernäs, E., Timmermann, C., Carhart-Harris, R. et al. · Philosophy and the Mind Sciences (2023)

LSD-induced increase of Ising temperature and algorithmic complexity of brain dynamics

Ruffini, G., Damiani, G., Lozano-Soldevilla, D. et al. · PLOS ONE (2023)

Distributed harmonic patterns of structure-function dependence orchestrate human consciousness

Luppi, A. I., Vohryzek, J., Kringelbach, M. L. et al. · Communications Biology (2023)

32 cited
Changes in music-evoked emotion and ventral striatal functional connectivity after psilocybin therapy for depression

Wall, M., Nutt, D. J., Kaelen, M. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2022)

23 cited
Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy for People with Eating Disorders

Gukasyan, N., Schreyer, C. C., Griffiths, R. R. et al. · Current Psychiatry Reports (2022)

A Psychoanalytic Perspective on Psychedelic Experience

Guss, J. · Psychoanalytic Dialogues (2022)

The effect of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) on whole-brain functional and effective connectivity

Bedford, P., Hauke, D. J., Wang, Z. et al. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2022)

Receptor-informed network control theory links LSD and psilocybin to a flattening of the brain’s control energy landscape

Singleton, S. P., Luppi, A. I., Carhart-Harris, R. L. et al. · Nature Communications (2022)

Effects of classic psychedelic drugs on turbulent signatures in brain dynamics

Cruzat, J., Perl, Y. S., Escrichs, A. et al. · Network Neuroscience (2022)

19 cited
Being no one, being One: The role of ego-dissolution and connectedness in the therapeutic effects of psychedelic experience

Kałużna, A., Schlosser, M., Gulliksen Craste, E. et al. · Journal of Psychedelic Studies (2022)

35 cited
Pharmacological, Neural, and Psychological Mechanisms underlying Psychedelics: A Critical Review

van Elk, M., Yaden, D. B. · Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews (2022)

Pattern Breaking: A Complex Systems Approach to Psychedelic Medicine

Hipólito, I., Mago, J., Rosas, F. E. et al. · Psyarxiv (2022)

Natural language signatures of psilocybin microdosing

Sanz, C., Cavanna, F., Muller, S. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2022)

11 cited
Psychedelics and Psychotherapy: Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches as Default

Yaden, D. B., Earp, D., Graziosi, M. et al. · Frontiers in Psychology (2022)

Psychedelic Resting-state Neuroimaging: A Review and Perspective on Balancing Replication and Novel Analyses

McCulloch, D. E-W., Knudsen, G. M., Barrett, F. S. et al. · Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews (2022)

Drug-drug interactions between psychiatric medications and MDMA or psilocybin: a systematic review

Sarparast, A., Thomas, K., Malcolm, B. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2022)

Beating Pain with Psychedelics: Matter over Mind?

Elman, I., Borsook, D., Pustilink, A. · Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews (2022)

Psychedelic use is associated with reduced daily opioid use among people who use illicit drugs in a Canadian setting

Argento, E., Socias, M. E., Hayashi, K. et al. · International Journal of Drug Policy (2022)

Classic Psychedelic Drugs: Update on Biological Mechanisms

Vollenweider, F. X., Smallridge, J. W. · Pharmacopsychiatry (2022)

71 cited
Knowledge, Perceptions, and Use of Psychedelics among Individuals with Fibromyalgia

Glynos, N. G., Pierce, J., Davis, A. K. et al. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2022)

Models of psychedelic drug action: modulation of cortical-subcortical circuits

Doss, M. K., Madden, M. B., Gaddis, A. et al. · Brain (2021)

Psilocybin therapy increases cognitive and neural flexibility in patients with major depressive disorder

Doss, M. K., Považan, M., Rosenberg, M. D. et al. · Translational Psychiatry (2021)

249 cited
Novel Treatment Approaches for Substance Use Disorders: Therapeutic Use of Psychedelics and the Role of Psychotherapy

Johnson, M. W., Gründer, G., Betzler, F. et al. · Current Addiction Reports (2021)

Psychedelics, sociality, and human evolution

Rodríguez Arce, J. M., Winkelman, M. J. · Frontiers in Psychology (2021)

Prefrontal contributions to the stability and variability of thought and conscious experience

Zamani, A., Carhart-Harris, R. L., Christoff, K. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2021)

Does psychedelic therapy have a transdiagnostic action and prophylactic potential?

Kočárová, C., Horacek, J., Carhart-Harris, R. L. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2021)

73 cited
Psilocybin as a Novel Pharmacotherapy for Treatment-Refractory Anorexia Nervosa

Rodan, S., Aouad, P., McGregor, I. S. et al. · OBM Neurobiology (2021)

42 cited
Spontaneous and deliberate creative cognition during and after psilocybin exposure

Mason, N. L., Kuypers, K. P. C., Reckweg, J. T. et al. · Translational Psychiatry (2021)

86 cited
Increased sensitivity to strong perturbations in a whole-brain model of LSD

Jobst, B. M., Atasoy, S., Ponce-Alvarez, A. et al. · NeuroImage (2021)

A qualitative and quantitative account of patient’s experiences of ketamine and its antidepressant properties

Sumner, R. L., Chacko, E., Mcmillan, R. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2021)

51 cited
Neural Correlates of the Shamanic State of Consciousness

Pasquini, L., Luke, D., Harris, R. E. et al. · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2021)

Psilocin acutely disrupts sleep and affects local but not global sleep homeostasis in laboratory mice

Thomas, C. W., Blanco-Duque, C., Breant, B. et al. · Translational Psychiatry (2021)

Effects of ketamine on brain function during metacognition of episodic memory

Lehmann, M., Neumann, C., Wasserthal, S. et al. · Neuroscience of Consciousness (2021)

11 cited
Neural and subjective effects of inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine in natural settings

Pallavicini, C., Cavanna, F., Zamberlan, F. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2021)

LSD alters dynamic integration and segregation in the human brain

Luppi, A. I., Carhart-Harris, R. L., Roseman, L. et al. · NeuroImage (2021)

141 cited
EEG Gamma Band Alterations and REM-like Traits Underpin the Acute Effect of the Atypical Psychedelic Ibogaine in the Rat

González, J., Cavelli, M., Castro-Zaballa, S. et al. · ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science (2021)

17 cited
The entropic tongue: Disorganization of natural language under LSD

Sanz, C., Pallavicini, C., Carrillo, F. et al. · Consciousness and Cognition (2021)

24 cited
The potential synergistic effects between psychedelic administration and nature contact for the improvement of mental health

Gandy, S., Forstmann, M., Carhart-Harris, R. L. et al. · Health Psychology Open (2020)

Pivotal Mental States

Brouwer, A., Carhart-Harris, R. L. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2020)

Psychedelic drugs: neurobiology and potential for treatment of psychiatric disorders

Vollenweider, F. X., Preller, K. H. · Nature Reviews Neuroscience (2020)

Integrating psychotherapy and psychopharmacology: psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and other combined treatments

Greenway, K. T., Garel, N., Jerome, L. et al. · Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology (2020)

Updating the dynamic framework of thought: Creativity and psychedelics

Girn, M., Mills, C., Roseman, L. et al. · NeuroImage (2020)

Ethics and ego dissolution: the case of psilocybin

Smith, W. R., Sisti, D. · Journal of Medical Ethics (2020)

Me, myself, bye: regional alterations in glutamate and the experience of ego dissolution with psilocybin

Mason, N. L., Kuypers, K. P. C., Reckweg, J. et al. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2020)

Chronic pain and psychedelics: a review and proposed mechanism of action

Castellanos, J. P., Woolley, C., Bruno, K. A. et al. · Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (2020)

101 cited
LSD flattens the functional hierarchy of the human brain

Girn, M., Roseman, L., Bernhardt, B. et al. · Biorxiv (2020)

Isness: Using Multi-Person VR to Design Peak Mystical Type Experiences Comparable to Psychedelics

Glowacki, D. R., Wonnacott, M. D., Freire, R. et al. · Association for Computing Machinery (2020)

32 cited
Decreased directed functional connectivity in the psychedelic state

Barnett, L., Muthukumaraswamy, S., Carhart-Harris, R. L. · NeuroImage (2020)

Long-term effects of psychedelic drugs: A systematic review

Aday, J. S., Mitzkovitz, C. M., Bloesch, E. K. et al. · Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews (2020)

Psychedelics and Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy

Reiff, C. M., Richman, E. E., Nemeroff, C. B. et al. · American Journal of Psychiatry (2020)

Emotions and brain function are altered up to one month after a single high dose of psilocybin

Barrett, F. S., Doss, M. K., Sepeda, N. D. et al. · Scientific Reports (2020)

Neuropharmacological modulation of the aberrant bodily self through psychedelics

Ho, J. T., Preller, K. H., Lenggenhager, B. · Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews (2020)

Psilocybin-assisted therapy of major depressive disorder using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a therapeutic frame

Sloshower, J., Guss, J., Krause, R. et al. · Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science (2020)

Psychological flexibility mediates the relations between acute psychedelic effects and subjective decreases in depression and anxiety

Davis, A. K., Barrett, F. S., Griffiths, R. R. · Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science (2020)

From Egoism to Ecoism: Psychedelics Increase Nature Relatedness in a State-Mediated and Context-Dependent Manner

Kettner, H., Gandy, S., Haijen, E. C. H. M. et al. · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2019)

131 cited
Neural correlates of the DMT experience assessed with multivariate EEG

Timmermann, C., Roseman, L., Schartner, M. et al. · Scientific Reports (2019)

Dynamical exploration of the repertoire of brain networks at rest is modulated by psilocybin

Lord, L. D., Expert, P., Atasoy, S. et al. · NeuroImage (2019)

183 cited
Spectral signatures of serotonergic psychedelics and glutamatergic dissociatives

Pallavicini, C., Vilas, M. G., Villarreal, M. et al. · NeuroImage (2019)

51 cited
Toward a contextual psychedelic-assisted therapy: Perspectives from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and contextual behavioral science

Luoma, J. B., Sabucedo, P., Eriksson, J. et al. · Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science (2019)

REBUS and the Anarchic Brain: Toward a Unified Model of the Brain Action of Psychedelics

Carhart-Harris, R. L., Friston, K. J. · Pharmacological Reviews (2019)

Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function

Johnson, M. W., Hendricks, P. S., Barrett, F. S. et al. · Pharmacology and Therapeutics (2019)

States and traits related to the quality and consequences of psychedelic experiences

Russ, S. L., Carhart-Harris, R. L., Maruyama, G. et al. · Psychology of Consciousness Theory Research and Practice (2019)

A systematic study of microdosing psychedelics

Polito, V., Stevenson, R. J. · PLOS ONE (2019)

197 cited
Effective connectivity changes in LSD-induced altered states of consciousness in humans

Preller, K. H., Razi, A., Zeidman, P. et al. · PNAS (2019)

How do psychedelics work?

Carhart-Harris, R. L. · Current Opinion in Psychiatry (2019)

Current perspectives on psychedelic therapy: use of serotonergic hallucinogens in clinical interventions

Richards, W. A., Garcia-Romeu, A. · International Review of Psychiatry (2018)

Ketamine for the treatment of addiction: Evidence and potential mechanisms

Ezquerra-Romano, I. I., Lawn, W., Krupitsky, E. M. et al. · Neuropharmacology (2018)

LSD modulates effective connectivity and neural adaptation mechanisms in an auditory oddball paradigm

Timmermann, C., Spriggs, M. J., Kaelen, M. et al. · Neuropharmacology (2018)

Exploring the effect of microdosing psychedelics on creativity in an open-label natural setting

Prochazkova, L., Lippelt, D. P., Colzato, L. S. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2018)

49 cited
143 cited
Psychedelics and music: neuroscience and therapeutic implications

Barrett, F. S., Preller, K. H., Kaelen, M. · International Review of Psychiatry (2018)

Dimensions of consciousness and the psychedelic state

Bayne, T., Carter, O. · Neuroscience of Consciousness (2018)

106 cited
Psychedelics, meditation, and self-consciousness

Milliere, R., Carhart-Harris, R. L., Roseman, L. et al. · Frontiers in Psychology (2018)

Positive psychology in the investigation of psychedelics and entactogens: A critical review

Jungaberle, H., Thal, S., Zeuch, A. et al. · Neuropharmacology (2018)

The entropic brain - revisited

Carhart-Harris, R. L. · Neuropharmacology (2018)

Unifying theories of psychedelic drug effects

Swanson, L. R. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2018)

Quality of acute psychedelic experience predicts therapeutic efficacy of psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression

Roseman, L., Nutt, D. J., Carhart-Harris, R. L. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2018)

LSD Increases Primary Process Thinking via Serotonin 2A Receptor Activation

Sumiyoshi, T., Kraehenmann, R., Pokorny, D. et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2017)

Psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression: fMRI-measured brain mechanisms

Carhart-Harris, R. L., Roseman, L., Bolstridge, M. et al. · Scientific Reports (2017)

Psychedelic Drugs in Biomedicine

Kyzar, E. J., Nichols, C. D., Gainetdinov, R. R. et al. · Trends in Pharmacological Sciences (2017)

Psychedelic pleasures: An affective understanding of the joys of tripping

Bøhling, F. · International Journal of Drug Policy (2017)

Serotonin and brain function: a tale of two receptors

Carhart-Harris, R. L., Nutt, D. J. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2017)

Shannon entropy of brain functional complex networks under the influence of the psychedelic Ayahuasca

Viol, A., Palhano-Fontes, F., Onias, H. et al. · Scientific Reports (2017)

Psychedelics and connectedness

Carhart-Harris, R. L., Erritzoe, D., Haijen, E. C. H. M. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2017)

Self unbound: ego dissolution in psychedelic experience

Letheby, C., Gerrans, P. · Neuroscience of Consciousness (2017)

Effects of LSD on music-evoked brain activity

Kaelen, M., Lorenz, R., Barrett, F. S. et al. · Biorxiv (2017)

Modern clinical research on LSD

Liechti, M. E. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2017)

Increased spontaneous MEG signal diversity for psychoactive doses of ketamine, LSD and psilocybin

Schartner, M., Carhart-Harris, R. L., Barrett, A. B. et al. · Scientific Reports (2017)

19 cited
Psychedelics and the science of self-experience

Nour, M. R., Carhart-Harris, R. L. · British Journal of Psychiatry (2017)

Perception is in the Details: A Predictive Coding Account of the Psychedelic Phenomenon

Pink-Hashkes, S., Van Rooij, I., Kwisthout, J. · CogSci (2017)

Phenomenology, Structure, and Dynamic of Psychedelic States

Preller, K. H., Vollenweider, F. X. · Behavioral Neurobiology of Psychedelic Drugs (2016)

Classical hallucinogens and neuroimaging: A systematic review of human studies: hallucinogens and neuroimaging

Dos Santos, R. G., Osório, F. L., Crippa, J. A. et al. · Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews (2016)

The Challenging Experience Questionnaire: Characterization of challenging experiences with psilocybin mushrooms

Barrett, F. S., Bradstreet, M. P., Leoutsakos, J. M. S. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2016)

Psychedelics as Medicines: An Emerging New Paradigm

Nichols, C. D., Nichols, D. E., Johnson, M. W. · Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (2016)

Development of a Psychotherapeutic Model for Psilocybin-Assisted Treatment of Alcoholism

Bogenschutz, M. P., Forcehimes, A. A. · Journal of Humanistic Psychology (2016)

The Associations of Naturalistic Classic Psychedelic Use, Mystical Experience, and Creative Problem Solving

Sweat, N. W., Bates, L. W., Hendricks, P. S. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2016)

Semantic activation in LSD: evidence from picture naming

Family, N., Vinson, D., Vigliocco, G. et al. · Language Cognition and Neuroscience (2016)

Clinical Applications of Hallucinogens: A Review

Garcia-Romeu, A., Kersgaard, B., Addy, P. H. · Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology (2016)

174 cited
LSD modulates music-induced imagery via changes in parahippocampal connectivity

Kaelen, M., Roseman, L., Kahan, J. et al. · European Neuropsychopharmacology (2016)

Ego-dissolution and psychedelics: validation of the ego-dissolution inventory (EDI)

Nour, M. R., Evans, J., Nutt, D. J. et al. · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2016)

LSD-induced entropic brain activity predicts subsequent personality change

Lebedev, A. V., Kaelen, M., L€ Ovd En, M. et al. · Human Brain Mapping (2016)

292 cited
Neural correlates of the LSD experience revealed by multimodal neuroimaging

Carhart-Harris, R. L., Muthukumaraswamy, S., Roseman, L. et al. · PNAS (2016)

Increased global functional connectivity correlates with LSD-induced ego dissolution

Tagliazucchi, E., Roseman, L., Kaelen, M. et al. · Current Biology (2016)

Psychedelics

Nichols, D. E. · Pharmacological Reviews (2016)

Lysergic acid diethylamide: a drug of ‘use’?

Das, S., Barnwal, P., Ramasamy, A. et al. · Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology (2016)

113 cited
The therapeutic potentials of ayahuasca: possible effects against various diseases of civilization

Frecska, E., Bokor, P., Winkelman, M. J. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2016)

The paradoxical psychological effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)

Carhart-Harris, R. L., Kaelen, M., Bolstridge, M. et al. · Psychological Medicine (2016)

253 cited
New World Tryptamine Hallucinogens and the Neuroscience of Ayahuasca

McKenna, D., Riba, J. · Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences (2016)

Serotonergic Hallucinogen-Induced Visual Perceptual Alterations

Kometer, M., Vollenweider, F. X. · Behavioral Neurobiology of Psychedelic Drugs (2016)

Finding the self by losing the self: Neural correlates of ego-dissolution under psilocybin

Lebedev, A. V., L€ Ovd En, M., Rosenthal, G. et al. · Human Brain Mapping (2015)

Classic psychedelic use is associated with reduced psychological distress and suicidality in the United States adult population

Hendricks, P. S., Thorne, C. B., Clark, B. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2015)

345 cited
Pilot study of the 5-HT2AR agonist psilocybin in the treatment of tobacco addiction

Johnson, M. W., Garcia-Romeu, A., Cosimano, M. P. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2014)

The effects of psilocybin and MDMA on between-network resting state functional connectivity in healthy volunteers

Roseman, L., Leech, R., Feilding, A. et al. · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2014)

229 cited

Your Personal Research Library

Go Pro to save papers, add notes, rate studies, and organize your research into custom shelves.