A study by the University of Sussex (UK) has found the first scientific evidence of a higher state of consciousness, suggesting that psychedelic drugs cause the brain to behave in a very different way than usual.
Neuroscientists observed a sustained increase in the neural signal diversity of volunteers under the influence of psychedelic drugs, compared to their normal non-drug use status.
Considering that the diversity of brain signals provides a mathematical index of the level of consciousness (awake we have a more diverse neural activity than awake), this is the first research showing a much higher diversity of brain signals than the baseline, higher than someone who is simply "awake and conscious".
According to the conclusions of the experiment, "during the psychedelic state, the electrical activity of the brain is less predictable and less integrated than during normal conscious wakefulness. Since this measure has already demonstrated its value as a dimension of the level of consciousness, we can say that the psychedelic state appears as a higher level of consciousness, but only with respect to this specific mathematical measure," clarifies Anil Seth, leader of the work.
The LSD experiment
For their study, the scientists reanalyzed data previously collected by Imperial College London and Cardiff University, where healthy volunteers were given one of three psychedelically induced drugs: psilocybin, Ketamine and LSD.
Under the effect of hallucinogens, they studied the brain activity of the participants, discovering this increase in brain activity: the diversity of the neural signal was undeniably higher.
This does not mean that the psychedelic state is a "better" or more desirable state of consciousness, but it does show that the psychedelic state of the brain is distinctive and may be related to other global changes on the conscious level.
This finding shows that the 'psychedelic brain' behaves very differently than normal.
The results may help to provide new insights into the discussion about the carefully controlled medical use of such drugs, for example, in the treatment of severe depression.
"Rigorous research on psychedelics is gaining increasing attention because of the therapeutic potential these drugs can have when used wisely and under medical supervision. The findings of this study help us understand what happens in people's brains when they experience an expansion of consciousness under psychedelics. People often say they experience visions or hallucinations under these drugs and when this occurs in a therapeutic context, it can predict positive outcomes. The current findings can help us understand how this can happen," explains Robin Cahart-Harris, co-author of the paper.
Historical coincidence
The release date of the article is the same day that Albert Hoffman, after synthesizing LSD for the first time 74 years ago, made his first "self-experience" to discover its psychotropic effects. This date, April 19, 1943, is known as "bicycle day" in honor of the bicycle ride home that Hoffman, the "father of LSD," made after this first "journey" with this substance popularly known as acid.
The study has been published in the journal Scientific Reports.