The potential therapeutic properties of psilocybin have become more widely popularized and accepted in recent years as more studies have demonstrated compelling evidence for their efficacy in treating a wide range of health conditions. Yet despite these promising findings, researchers are still trying to determine the mechanisms behind these therapeutic effects.
A recently published study has revealed that psilocybin can significantly increase brain connectivity through a process called hyperconnectivity. This increased communication between different regions of the brain is believed to be associated with the intense psychedelic experiences and therapeutic outcomes associated with psilocybin use.
The study involved 49 healthy adults who have used psychedelics in the past but not within the past three months. Each participant was either given a random dose of psilocybin or a placebo to reduce biases. Once the treatments were administered, the participant’s brains were examined through functional MRI scans to examine any neural changes while on the substance. Researchers instructed participants to keep their eyes open while recording their brain activity during resting state. By doing so, researchers could observe the brain’s default activity and analyze the natural connectivity between different brain regions without the influence of external tasks or stimuli. Six hours after treatment, participants completed the 5-Dimensional Altered States of Consciousness Rating Scale questionnaire to evaluate their personal experiences.
According to the results of the questionnaire, those who took psilocybin had more intense altered states of consciousness, with effects like visual and auditory hallucinations, ego dissolution, and feelings of unity with the world (oceanic boundlessness). Furthermore, the brain scans showed that participants who received psilocybin had an overall increase in brain connectivity. This hyperconnectivity was particularly evident in areas of the brain responsible for integrating information across different regions, enhancing communication between various brain areas. The examined changes in brain connectivity were directly linked to the subjective experiences that the participants reported, further connecting psilocybin to changes in brain function across different regions (1).
“Given the resurgence in research regarding the psychotherapeutic applications of psychedelic drugs, our results are pertinent to understanding how subjective experience under psychedelics influences beneficial clinical outcomes. Is the effect driven by ego-dissolution? By hallucinations?” stated co-author Athena Demertzi of the University of Liège. “As such, our work exemplifies how the strong inter-relatedness between egotropic effects of moderate dose psilocybin and its hyperconnected brain pattern can inform clinical focus on specific aspects of phenomenology, such as ego-dissolutions. With this information, healthcare professionals may learn how to best engineer psychedelic therapy sessions to produce the best clinical outcomes.”
While more research will be needed to fully understand the therapeutic mechanisms of psilocybin, these findings demonstrate the importance of hyperconnectivity in achieving therapeutic outcomes.
References
- Sepehr Mortaheb, Larry D Fort, Natasha L Mason, Pablo Mallaroni, Johannes G Ramaekers, and Athena Demertzi. 2024. “Dynamic Functional Hyperconnectivity after Psilocybin Intake Is Primarily Associated with Oceanic Boundlessness.” Biological Psychiatry. Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, April. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.04.001.
