Arousal coherence, uncertainty, and well-being: an active inference account

Neuroscience of Consciousness, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 2024(1)

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2024

Here we build on recent findings which show that greater alignment between our subjective experiences (how feel) and physiological states (measurable changes in body) plays a pivotal role the overall psychological well-being. Specifically, propose or 'coherence' affective arousal (e.g. how excited 'feel') autonomic heart rate pupil dilation) may be key for maintaining up-to-date uncertainty representations dynamic environments. Drawing advances interoceptive inference, also coherence reflects integration, facilitates adaptive belief updating, impacts capacity to adapt uncertainty, with downstream consequences We highlight of meta-awareness arousal, third level permit conscious awareness, learning about, intentional regulation lower-order sources arousal. Practices emphasizing (like meditation) therefore elicit some their known benefits via improved coherence. suggest is likely associated markers functioning emotional awareness self-regulatory capacities) discuss mind-body practices increase

Язык: Английский

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Resetting the Hippocampal Buffer: A Neurocognitive Account of Psychedelic Therapy for Anxiety-Related Psychopathology

Опубликована: Май 26, 2024

Psychedelics (hallucinogenic 5-HT2A agonists such as psilocybin) are gaining recognition for their potential to treat a range of conditions, including anxiety-related psychopathology. Despite early promising results, the mechanisms by which psychedelic therapy alleviates anxiety not well understood. Here, we review neural and cognitive underlying psychopathology impact psychedelics on these mechanisms. This culminates in novel neurocognitive model how promote long-term anxiolysis. We conceptualize case contextual information provided hippocampus entrains amygdala salience network bias processing toward that “refills” perpetuates this cycle, due expression excitatory inhibitory neurons cortex hippocampus, respectively. acutely free cortical networks from hippocampal-dependent constraints part through respectively, while intrinsic plasticity and/or psychedelic-mediated allows “resetting hippocampal buffer.” As acute effects wane, increased may enable adaptively integrate into frame is less biased or constrained prior aversive conditioning, thus promoting an overall reduction anxious thoughts appraisals. end discussing challenges anxiety, can increase suggest directions future research determine optimal treatment paths informed neuroscience.

Язык: Английский

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Priors and prejudice: hierarchical predictive processing in intergroup perception

Frontiers in Psychology, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 15

Опубликована: Июнь 13, 2024

Hierarchical predictive processing provides a framework outlining how prior expectations shape perception and cognition. Here, we highlight hierarchical as for explaining social context group-based knowledge can directly intergroup perception. More specifically, argue that confers uniquely valuable toolset to explain extant findings generate novel hypotheses We first provide an overview of processing, specifying its primary theoretical assumptions. then review evidence showing influences Next, outline account well in the literature. underscore strengths compared other frameworks this space. finish by future directions laying out test implications cognition more broadly. Taken together, explanatory value capacity hypothesis generation

Язык: Английский

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Consciousness, Sapience and Sentience—A Metacybernetic View

Systems, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 10(6), С. 254 - 254

Опубликована: Дек. 13, 2022

Living systems are complex dynamic information processing energy consuming entities with properties of consciousness, intelligence, sapience, and sentience. Sapience sentience autonomous attributes consciousness. While sapience has been well studied over the years, that is relatively rare. The nature will be considered, a metacybernetic framework using structural adopted to explore metaphysics Metacybernetics delivers cyberintrinsic model cybernetic in nature, but also uses theory arising from Frieden’s work Fisher information. This used their relationship. Since living energy-consuming entities, it natural for thermodynamic metaphysical models arise, most theoretical studies have set within framework. Hence, approach introduced connected theory. In contexts, thermodynamics free-energy, which plays same role modelling as intrinsic exist at dynamical interface thermodynamics, overall purpose this paper alternative perspective metacybernetics.

Язык: Английский

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Individual Differences in Computational Psychiatry: A Review of Current Challenges

Опубликована: Дек. 11, 2022

Bringing precision to the understanding and treatment of mental disorders requires instruments for studying clinically relevant individual differences. One promising approach is development computational assays: integrating models with cognitive tasks infer latent patient-specific disease processes in brain computations. While recent years have seen many methodological advancements modelling cross-sectional patient studies, much less attention has been paid basic psychometric properties (reliability construct validity) measures provided by assays. In this review, we assess extent issue examining emerging empirical evidence. To contextualize this, also provide a more general perspective on key developments that are needed translating assays clinical practice. Emerging evidence suggests most show poor-to-moderate reliability often little improvement over simple behavioral measures. Furthermore, used test accounts lack convergent validity, which compromises their interpretability. Taken together, these issues pose risk invalidating previous findings undermining ongoing research efforts using study (and even group) We suggest single-task designs, currently dominate landscape, partly blame problems therefore not suitable solving them. Instead, validity need be studied systematically longitudinal designs batteries tasks. Finally, enable applications, it will necessary establish predictive make efficient burdensome.

Язык: Английский

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Impact of media-induced uncertainty on mental health: Narrative review (Preprint)

JMIR Mental Health, Год журнала: 2024, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Ноя. 11, 2024

Язык: Английский

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Burdening the Predictive Mind: A Predictive Processing Approach to Health-Related Burdens

Опубликована: Май 4, 2024

The notion of burden features as a central aspect research into the challenges faced by patients and their carers, especially in regard to long-term health conditions multimorbidity. Research this area has considered burdens that stem from presence disease (e.g., symptom burden) well associated with healthcare interventions treatment burden). While there have been number attempts theorize burden, is, at present, little consensus on how ought be understood. It particular, unclear what makes something why certain things are perceived burdensome, forces factors moderate experience burdensome experiences relate other experiential constructs, such wellbeing, despair, suffering. present paper seeks advance our understanding drawing predictive processing accounts brain function. All burdens, it is suggested, origins reduced capacity fulfill neurally-realized expectations (or predictions). This marked hypothesized increase particular form prediction error, dubbed expected error. In addition providing unitary theoretical approach account supports effort apply wider array clinical health-related phenomena.

Язык: Английский

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The Algorithmic Agent Perspective and Computational Neuropsychiatry: From Etiology to Advanced Therapy in Major Depressive Disorder

Entropy, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 26(11), С. 953 - 953

Опубликована: Ноя. 6, 2024

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a complex, heterogeneous condition affecting millions worldwide. Computational neuropsychiatry offers potential breakthroughs through the mechanistic modeling of this disorder. Using Kolmogorov theory (KT) consciousness, we developed foundational model where algorithmic agents interact with world to maximize an Objective Function evaluating affective valence. Depression, defined in context by state persistently low valence, may arise from various factors-including inaccurate models (cognitive biases), dysfunctional (anhedonia, anxiety), deficient planning (executive deficits), or unfavorable environments. Integrating algorithmic, dynamical systems, and neurobiological concepts, map agent brain circuits functional networks, framing etiological routes linking depression biotypes. Finally, explore how stimulation, psychotherapy, plasticity-enhancing compounds such as psychedelics can synergistically repair neural optimize therapies using personalized computational models.

Язык: Английский

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Counteracting Uncertainty: Exploring the Impact of Anxiety on Predictive Sensorimotor Control Mechanisms in a Manual Interception Task

Опубликована: Авг. 22, 2023

The impact of clinical anxiety on learning and decision-making is well-established. However, the influence temporary states optimal belief updating in healthy individuals remains less explored. In this study, we investigated how anxious affect process forming revising sensorimotor predictions. Study participants engaged a virtual reality interceptive task while manipulated performance incentives to induce situational pressure. We then assessed changes physiological arousal, self-reported levels, performance, eye movement patterns. Employing Bayesian computational models perception, analysed quickly predictive movements were adjusted across multiple trials. results revealed that heightened led slower rate movements, accompanied by an increase visual exploration environment. These findings deepen our understanding emotional states, like anxiety, interact with active inference behaviours. Specifically, they highlight limitation imposed behaviours during conditions. discuss implications these within context theoretical frameworks such as free energy principle, which conceptualises state internal entropy organisms seek alleviate.

Язык: Английский

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