Breathwork-induced psychedelic experiences modulate neural dynamics

Cerebral Cortex, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 34(8)

Published: Aug. 1, 2024

Abstract Breathwork is an understudied school of practices involving intentional respiratory modulation to induce altered state consciousness (ASC). We simultaneously investigate the phenomenological and neural dynamics breathwork by combining Temporal Experience Tracing, a quantitative methodology that preserves temporal subjective experience, with low-density portable EEG devices. Fourteen novice participants completed course up 28 sessions—of 20, 40, or 60 min—in days, yielding neurophenomenological dataset 301 sessions. Using hypothesis-driven data-driven approaches, we found “psychedelic-like” experiences were associated increased Lempel-Ziv complexity during breathwork. Exploratory analyses showed aperiodic exponent power spectral density—but not oscillatory alpha power—yielded similar associations. Non-linear features, like exponent, neurally map both multidimensional composite positive experiences, aspects psychedelic-like experience states such as high bliss.

Language: Английский

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Perceptual and attentional impairments of conscious access involve distinct neural mechanisms despite equal task performance

eLife, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 13

Published: May 1, 2025

This study investigates failures in conscious access resulting from either weak sensory input (perceptual impairments) or unattended (attentional impairments). Participants viewed a Kanizsa stimulus with without an illusory triangle within rapid serial visual presentation of distractor stimuli. We designed novel that contained additional ancillary features different complexity (local contrast and collinearity) were independently manipulated. Perceptual performance on the (presence vs. absence illusion) was equated between perceptual (masking) attentional blink) manipulation to circumvent common confounds related conditional differences task performance. trained tested classifiers electroencephalogram (EEG) data reflect processing specific features, increasing levels complexity. show late stages (~200–250 ms), reflecting integration complex (collinearity, triangle), impaired by masking but spared blink. In contrast, decoding local (the spatial arrangement features) observed early time (~80 ms) left largely unaffected manipulation. These results replicate previous work showing feedforward is preserved under both impairments. Crucially, however, matched performance, only impairments more relatively intact, likely lateral feedback processes during inattention. findings reveal distinct neural mechanisms associated thus contribute comprehensive understanding leading access.

Language: Английский

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Perceptual versus attentional impairments of conscious access: Distinct neural mechanisms despite equal task performance

Published: Feb. 25, 2025

This study investigates failures in conscious access resulting from either weak sensory input (perceptual impairments) or unattended (attentional impairments). Participants viewed a Kanizsa stimulus with without an illusory triangle within rapid serial visual presentation of distractor stimuli. We designed novel that contained additional ancillary features different complexity (local contrast and collinearity) were independently manipulated. Perceptual performance on the (presence vs. absence illusion) was equated between perceptual (masking) attentional blink) manipulation to circumvent common confounds related conditional differences task performance. trained tested classifiers electroencephalogram (EEG) data reflect processing specific features, increasing levels complexity. show late stages (∼200-250 ms), reflecting integration complex (collinearity, triangle), impaired by masking but spared blink. In contrast, decoding local (the spatial arrangement features) observed early time (∼80 ms) left largely unaffected manipulation. These results replicate previous work showing feedforward is preserved under both impairments. Crucially however, matched performance, only impairments more relatively intact, likely lateral feedback processes during inattention. findings reveal distinct neural mechanisms associated thus contribute comprehensive understanding leading access.

Language: Английский

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Breathwork-Induced Psychedelic Experiences Modulate Neural Dynamics

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 22, 2024

Abstract Breathwork is a term for an understudied school of practices that involve the intentional modulation respiration to induce altered state consciousness (ASC). We map here neural dynamics mental content during breathwork, using neurophenomenological approach by combining Temporal Experience Tracing, quantitative phenomenological methodology preserves temporal subjective experience, with low-density portable EEG devices every session. Fourteen novice participants completed series up 28 breathwork sessions - 20, 40 or 60 minutes in days, yielding dataset 301 sessions. Using hypothesis-driven and data-driven approaches, we found positive ‘psychedelic-like’ experiences occurred within were associated increased Lempel-Ziv complexity. Further, exploratory analyses showed aperiodic exponent power spectral density (PSD) but not oscillatory alpha was also these psychedelic-like substates. demonstrate strength this framework, maximising concurrent data acquisition brain activity multiple experiential dimensions. Non-linear aspects dynamics, like complexity PSD, neurally both complex composite experiences, experience states such as high bliss.

Language: Английский

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Distinct neural mechanisms underlying perceptual and attentional impairments of conscious access

Published: July 8, 2024

This study investigates failures in conscious access resulting from either weak sensory input (perceptual blindness) or unattended (attentional blindness). Participants viewed a Kanizsa stimulus with without an illusory triangle within rapid serial visual presentation of distractor stimuli. We designed novel that contained additional ancillary features different complexity (local contrast and collinearity) were independently manipulated. Perceptual performance on the (presence vs. absence illusion) was equated between perceptual (masking) attentional blink) manipulation to circumvent common confounds related conditional differences task performance. trained tested classifiers electroencephalogram (EEG) data reflect processing specific features, increasing levels complexity. show late stages (∼200-250 ms), reflecting integration complex (collinearity, triangle), impaired by masking but spared blink. In contrast, decoding local (the spatial arrangement features) observed early time (∼80 ms) left largely unaffected manipulation. These results replicate previous work showing feedforward is preserved under both blindness. Crucially however, matched performance, only blindness more relatively intact, likely lateral feedback processes during inattention. findings reveal distinct neural mechanisms associated thus contribute comprehensive understanding leading access.

Language: Английский

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EEG spectral attractors identify a geometric core of brain dynamics

Patterns, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 5(9), P. 101025 - 101025

Published: July 19, 2024

Language: Английский

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Integrated phenomenology and brain connectivity demonstrate changes in nonlinear processing in jhana advanced meditation

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Dec. 2, 2024

We present a neurophenomenological case study investigating distinct neural connectivity regimes during an advanced concentrative absorption meditation called jhana (ACAM-J),characterized by highly-stable attention and mental absorption. Using EEG recordings phenomenological ratings (29 sessions) from meditator with +20,000 hours of practice, we evaluated metrics tracking large-scale interactions: nonlinear (WSMI Directed Information), capturing non-oscillatory dynamics; linear (WPLI) metrics, oscillatory synchrony. Results demonstrate ACAM-J are better distinguished compared to dynamics across multiple frequency ranges. Furthermore, combining attention-related WSMI improves Bayesian decoding alone. Crucially, deeper indicate equalization feedback feedforward processes, suggesting balance internallyand externally-driven information processing. Our results reveal ACAM-J, offering insights into refined conscious states highlighting the value approaches studying attentional states.

Language: Английский

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Distinct neural mechanisms underlying perceptual and attentional impairments of conscious access

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Oct. 17, 2023

Abstract This study investigates failures in conscious access resulting from either weak sensory input (perceptual impairments) or unattended (attentional impairments). Participants viewed a Kanizsa stimulus with without an illusory triangle within rapid serial visual presentation of distractor stimuli. We designed novel that contained additional ancillary features different complexity (local contrast and collinearity) were independently manipulated. Perceptual performance on the (presence vs. absence illusion) was equated between perceptual (masking) attentional blink) manipulation to circumvent common confounds related conditional differences task performance. trained tested classifiers electroencephalogram (EEG) data reflect processing specific features, increasing levels complexity. show late stages (∼200-250 ms), reflecting integration complex (collinearity, triangle), impaired by masking but spared blink. In contrast, decoding local (the spatial arrangement features) observed early time (∼80 ms) left largely unaffected manipulation. These results replicate previous work showing feedforward is preserved under both impairments. Crucially however, matched performance, only impairments more relatively intact, likely lateral feedback processes during inattention. findings reveal distinct neural mechanisms associated thus contribute comprehensive understanding leading access.

Language: Английский

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High arousal disrupts the neural signatures of conflict processing but not behavioural performance

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Aug. 2, 2023

ABSTRACT Physical activation fluctuates throughout the day. Previous studies have shown that during periods of reduced activation, cognitive control remains resilient due to neural compensatory mechanisms. In this study, we in-vestigated effects high physical on both behavioural and markers control. We hypothesized while measures would remain intact there be observable changes in correlates. our electroencephalography manipulated levels through exercise. Although observed no significant impact conflict, univariate multivariate time-frequency proved unreliable under conditions activation. Moreover, was modulation whole-brain connectivity by suggest dissociation between indicates human system even at possibly underlying

Language: Английский

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Distinct neural mechanisms underlying perceptual and attentional impairments of conscious access

Published: July 8, 2024

This study investigates failures in conscious access resulting from either weak sensory input (perceptual impairments) or unattended (attentional impairments). Participants viewed a Kanizsa stimulus with without an illusory triangle within rapid serial visual presentation of distractor stimuli. We designed novel that contained additional ancillary features different complexity (local contrast and collinearity) were independently manipulated. Perceptual performance on the (presence vs. absence illusion) was equated between perceptual (masking) attentional blink) manipulation to circumvent common confounds related conditional differences task performance. trained tested classifiers electroencephalogram (EEG) data reflect processing specific features, increasing levels complexity. show late stages (~200-250 ms), reflecting integration complex (collinearity, triangle), impaired by masking but spared blink. In contrast, decoding local (the spatial arrangement features) observed early time (~80 ms) left largely unaffected manipulation. These results replicate previous work showing feedforward is preserved under both impairments. Crucially, however, matched performance, only impairments more relatively intact, likely lateral feedback processes during inattention. findings reveal distinct neural mechanisms associated thus contribute comprehensive understanding leading access.

Language: Английский

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