For nearly ten years, the scientific consensus has been that psychedelics disrupt the brain by inducing chaos. This model suggests that stable neural networks—responsible for functions like vision, attention, and self-perception—lose their rigidity and begin communicating indiscriminately. Consequently, electroencephalogram (EEG) readings appear noisier and more complex. Devon Stoliker, a neuroscientist at Monash University, illustrates this prevailing view by comparing brain networks to highways: under the influence of psychedelics, these pathways break down, sending traffic in multiple, disorganized directions.
However, a recent study published in Nature challenges this interpretation. Led by Stoliker, the research team investigated whether these apparent shifts in brain activity are truly random or if they follow a structured pattern. The experiment involved 62 participants with no prior experience using psychedelics. Each subject was administered 19 milligrams of psilocybin, a compound derived from certain fungi, and their brains were scanned while under the influence. Artificial intelligence was then employed to analyze and compare the drugged scans against sober baselines.
The findings suggest that the brain’s state during a psychedelic experience is not merely chaotic. Stoliker has long argued that the chaos hypothesis is insufficient to explain the clinical and personal significance of these experiences. “It never really explained why an individual would have a meaningful experience, why they might have insight, why they might experience clarity, and why these might translate into positive psychological changes,” Stoliker noted.
To explore alternative explanations, Stoliker and his colleagues designed the PsiConnect study. Their results indicate that beneath the surface-level disorder, there is an underlying order to how the brain processes information while under the influence of psilocybin, potentially offering new insights into the therapeutic mechanisms of psychedelics.
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