One with the world? A new look at brains transformed by psychedelics.
Researchers have used MRI to compare brain activity during meditation with and without psilocybin, according to a report from Ars Technica. The study aimed to understand how the psychedelic substance alters neural patterns while participants engage in a meditative state. By placing subjects inside a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, scientists could capture real‑time brain activity while the participants practiced mindfulness. The experiment offers a novel way to investigate the intersection of psychedelics, meditation, and brain function.
\nIn the protocol, participants first completed a brief meditation session while lying in the scanner without any drug. After a washout period, the same individuals repeated the meditation under the influence of psilocybin, the active compound found in magic mushrooms. The