First-Of-Its-Kind Imaging Study Links Psilocybin To Dynamic Brain Hyperconnectivity

A new study reveals how psilocybin, a compound in magic mushrooms induces dynamic hyperconnectivity in the brain, leading to profound ego-modifying experiences and feelings of oceanic boundlessness. Published in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, this research delves into the mystical experiences reported by users, highlighting the therapeutic potential of psychedelics for treating psychiatric disorders.

Understanding Oceanic Boundlessness

The concept of oceanic boundlessness, often described as a sense of unity, blissfulness, insightfulness and spiritual experience, is frequently associated with psychedelic sessions. The study, one of the first to utilize brain imaging in psychedelic research, identifies a specific link between the psychedelic state and changes in dynamic brain connectivity. Unlike previous research showing static increases in global brain connectivity under psychedelics, this study demonstrates that hyperconnectivity is dynamic, correlating with the feeling of oceanic boundlessness.

Psilocybin’s Impact on Brain Function

Johannes G. Ramaekers, PhD, from Maastricht University, notes that psilocybin has shown potential in treating a variety of disorders, including OCD, anxiety, depression and addiction. “What was not fully understood is what brain activity is associated with these profound experiences,” Ramaekers explains. The brain’s tendency to enter a hyperconnected-hyperarousal pattern under psilocybin suggests a potential for variant mental perspectives. This study sheds light on the interplay between brain dynamics and subjective experiences, offering new insights into the neurophysiology of the psychedelic state.

Detailed Study Findings

The research analyzed fMRI data from two groups: one received psilocybin, the other a placebo. Participants on psilocybin reported significant phenomenological changes with brain connectivity analysis revealing global region-to-region connectivity patterns. This hyperconnected pattern explains the variant mental associations experienced by participants and links to oceanic boundlessness and unity.

Larry Fort, a PhD candidate at the University of Liège, emphasizes the ego-modifying (“egotropic”) effects of psilocybin. “We expected that the hallucinatory dimensions of experience would correlate the highest with psilocybin’s hyperconnected pattern,” Fort says. However, the study found a stronger correlation between ego-modifying experiences and hyperconnectivity than with hallucinatory experiences.

Future Implications for Psychedelic Therapy

Cameron S. Carter, MD, editor-in-chief of “Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging,” says the study provides new insights into the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying psilocybin’s effects. “It sets the stage for future studies using other psychedelic agents to examine whether the dynamic connectivity effects reflect a general mechanism for the therapeutic effects of these compounds.”

Athena Demertzi, PhD, from the University of Liège, adds that the brain’s hyperconnected regions showed lower global signal amplitude, approximating heightened cortical arousal. “This might be an important correlation as we move towards a full characterization of brain states under psychedelics,” she explains.