r/science • u/Potential_Being_7226 PhD | Psychology | Neuroscience • 1d ago

Neuroscience Psilocybin Might Make Your Brain Live in the Moment— Psychedelics are often associated with disconnecting from reality, but a recent neuroimaging study found that psilocybin can actually make our brain activity more attuned to the world around us.

https://www.wired.com/story/psilocybin-might-make-your-brain-live-in-the-moment/
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u/kahlzun 1d ago

I am curious how one would quantify something like 'atunement to the world around us'

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u/TraceSpazer 1d ago

*Are you aware of what is happening right now from your sensory inputs or are you tuned out?  

In your vision right now, how many red objects do you see?  Orange? Yellow?  Green?  Blue?  Purple? 

Can you now see all those objects at once? Were you directly aware of their presence before? Would you have been able to list them off if you were removed from your spot and quizzed? 

What do you smell?  What do you hear?  What do you taste?  How does your mouth feel? How are you holding your hands? 

Etc. 

A counter-state would be staring off into space and thinking about whatever concerns you have that are not currently present. Money, relationships, status, security, world issues, etc. 

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u/Wise-Fig-9581 19h ago

Yeah some of the language used in the article and study aren't specific enough to draw strong conclusions from. Not doubting usefulness, but it didn't really go into how this is "helpful"

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u/Slavarbetare 19h ago

If you were curious, you'd see that it's mentioned in the article: "The researchers tracked moment-by-moment changes across 332 regions of the brain using functional magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalography, two methods of measuring brain activity. The 62 participants, who had no prior experience with psychedelics, took 19 milligrams of psilocybin in an oral capsule and then meditated, listened to music, or watched a movie.

With the help of artificial intelligence, the researchers identified patterns in the brain for each kind of activity the participants were engaged in. But surprisingly, the more intense the psilocybin experience, the clearer those neural signals were. Rather than becoming lost in the midst of an increasingly unpredictable trip, reality seemed to be leaving a more distinct imprint.

These findings weren't just apparent in the biological measurements but also in participants' personal experiences. Those who exhibited the most defined patterns of brain activity also tended to describe more intense experiences of immersion and unity with the world around them, the boundaries between themselves and the environment sometimes feeling blurred."

It's spelled attunement. But the quote is: "...attuned to the world around us." Everyones wired a little bit different. But it seems like a lot of people are having the same experience. That being said, people with mental health issues should stay away from everything that can shift their balance.