The entropic brain - revisited
Carhart-Harris, R. L.
This theory-building article (2017) offers more evidence for the entropic brain hypothesis, a hypothesis that under psychedelics the brain reaches higher criticality and is more susceptible to set and setting (bottom-up information). The study serves as a (possible) framework for why psychedelics work so well for a variety of mental disorders (in combination with psychotherapy).
Abstract
It is shown that the principle that the entropy of brain activity is elevated in the psychedelic state is increasingly well supported by separate and independent studies and analyses, and evidence for greater brain criticality under psychedelics is also highlighted. It is argued that heightened brain criticality enables the brain to be more sensitive to intrinsic and extrinsic perturbations which may translate as a heightened susceptibility to “set” and “setting”. This updated version of the original entropic brain hypothesis now offers more concrete information on specific measures of brain entropy and suggests new studies to scrutinise it further, as well as examine its utility for describing and informing the treatment of psychiatric and neurological conditions such as depression and disorders of consciousness.”