> Decreased alpha power is a particularly consistent finding in neuroimaging research with psychedelics7,8,11. Alpha is the most prominent rhythm of the resting-brain, particularly in humans, and particularly in adulthood30. Alpha has been linked with high-level psychological functioning31,32, top-down predictive processing18,33 and related feedback connectivity34 - all of which have been found to be disrupted under…
One of the worst side effects of cannabis :[ I miss dreaming and REM sleep. feelsbadman
Neural correlates of the DMT experience assessed with multivariate EEG
121–130 of 206 posts
Re: Neural correlates of the DMT experience assessed with multivariate EEG
#122> Decreased alpha power is a particularly consistent finding in neuroimaging research with psychedelics7,8,11. Alpha is the most prominent rhythm of the resting-brain, particularly in humans, and particularly in adulthood30. Alpha has been linked with high-level psychological functioning31,32, top-down predictive processing18,33 and related feedback connectivity34 - all of which have been found to be disrupted under…
Interesting! When you say executive functions, could ADHD be linked in a way to this? When I "zone out" it feels like REM dreaming while awake.
Because that is associated with
> ingestion of psychotropic substances
Re: Neural correlates of the DMT experience assessed with multivariate EEG
#123> The present study’s findings significantly advance our understanding of the brain basis of one of the most unusual and intense altered states of consciousness known – previously likened to dreaming... This study does not "find that DMT produces a dream-like state"; that was already well established. This study identifies the subtle brain activity that differentiates the hallucinations from dreaming. > This experien…
Contrary to popular opinion I haven't found DMT to be that much different than any other psychedelic drug when comparing equivalent doses. Sure it's true that while high on the drug it creates experiences that feel real, but that's true of dreaming too, isn't it? It's not obvious that it wasn't real until it's over. And similarly I have had the same feeling from high doses of "plain old" psychedelics.
Re: Neural correlates of the DMT experience assessed with multivariate EEG
#124Earlier quoted context omitted.
Brilliant man, but he also believed in the luminiferous aether.
Yeah, he also didn't think nuclear power was achievable,which just proves no one is perfect.. But I can't think of anyone more genius than Tesla or Da Vinci.. and knowing their thoughts on these things is interesting =)
John von Neumann might make the list of "more intelligent," depending on how we define intelligence... not that I'm trying to idolize him, either!
Edit: To not be a total downer, I'll add my favorite Tesla quote (from 93 years ago):
> When wireless is perfectly applied the whole earth will be converted into a huge brain, which in fact it is, all things being particles of a real and rhythmic whole. We shall be able to communicate with one another instantly, irrespective of distance. Not only this, but through television and telephony we shall see and hear one another as perfectly as though we were face to face, despite intervening distances of thousands of miles; and the instruments through which we shall be able to do his will be amazingly simple compared with our present telephone. A man will be able to carry one in his vest pocket.
Re: Neural correlates of the DMT experience assessed with multivariate EEG
#125Earlier quoted context omitted.
my thought as well, particularly the bit about following amphetamine use and the death of their mother, assuming it wasn't figurative or an arbitrary example. as someone who has experienced mania it reminded me strongly of the way i've felt in the midst of it -- the sense of mastery, the paranoia, and feeling like i had some kind of conceptual or philosophical breakthrough.
Oh, I read psychology. Actually, it was mania at one point, but, uh, I... stopped it? And then interesting things began happening. My ability to improvise on the piano improved. My appreciation of classical music grew. The paranoia was replaced by the understanding that people usually aren’t out to get me. It wasn’t so much mania as it was my social skills turning on for the first time and it was a bit intense. I’m t…
That sounds like hypomania. If you're relatively smart it's like a superpower, but most medical professionals do not believe its something you can control.
I know nothing about you and you could very well have experienced a spiritual awakening, and if so I'm happy for you. From what you say a lot of this stuff sounds pretty recent; if you've lived like this without the heavy down periods for many years then it's likely not what I'm talking about.
I just wanted you to know that if it is mania or hypomania, in which case you will eventually come down, you'll be OK. You'll get through it and it's OK to get some help.
All the best to you.
Re: Neural correlates of the DMT experience assessed with multivariate EEG
#126Earlier quoted context omitted.
Interesting! When you say executive functions, could ADHD be linked in a way to this? When I "zone out" it feels like REM dreaming while awake.
Is your "zone out" a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugue_state ? Because that is associated with > ingestion of psychotropic substances
>Unlike retrograde amnesia (which is popularly referred to simply as "amnesia", the state where someone forgets events before brain damage), dissociative amnesia is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication, DSM-IV Codes 291.1 & 292.83) or a neurological or other general medical condition (e.g., amnestic disorder due to a head trauma, DSM-IV Codes 294.0).[7] It is a complex neuropsychological process.
The portion you quoted is part of the criteria that excludes an episode from being labeled a Fugue state.
Re: Neural correlates of the DMT experience assessed with multivariate EEG
#127I'm brazilian, and lived a big part of my life in a city where there were two religious groups who did ayahuasca. In my 20's, I had quite a lot of friends who tried it, with some doing it quite frequently and a few even joining the groups as full members. The experience I had with knowing them before and after ayahuasca not too different than with other drugs/hallucinogens: my friends related life-changing events, co…
In their particular evolutionary ladder, how many stairs they jumped?
In the end the best way to understand this, is to understand what they tell you about themselves, how they were before and after the experience. It may not look much from your perspective, but it may be something better, from their point of view at least, then what was possible before..
Re: Neural correlates of the DMT experience assessed with multivariate EEG
#128Earlier quoted context omitted.
Oh, I read psychology. Actually, it was mania at one point, but, uh, I... stopped it? And then interesting things began happening. My ability to improvise on the piano improved. My appreciation of classical music grew. The paranoia was replaced by the understanding that people usually aren’t out to get me. It wasn’t so much mania as it was my social skills turning on for the first time and it was a bit intense. I’m t…
>I think if this is mania, it’s controlled mania in a way? That sounds like hypomania. If you're relatively smart it's like a superpower, but most medical professionals do not believe its something you can control. I know nothing about you and you could very well have experienced a spiritual awakening, and if so I'm happy for you. From what you say a lot of this stuff sounds pretty recent; if you've lived like this w…
It’s of relatively recent date, but thinking back on it, I’ve had vaguely similar experiences before. Difference is that there wasn’t the same bringing online of feelings and abilities. It wasn’t as powerful.
Re: Neural correlates of the DMT experience assessed with multivariate EEG
#129I've had my own dreams while awake, the key is to stay aware while you are going to sleep.. Everyone knows the state between sleeping and awake, its great. But to go to sleep while still conscious, is like advanced meditation. I've had similar experiences during meditation. The world around you merges into a dream-like state, but it all seems to feel more real than the world we usually experience while awake. Dreams…
Im kind of shy to say this out loud here on HN with such a distinct crowd of people who really study those subjects, but given is more of a personal believe, i guess i can be forgiven if it sounds stupid or even a uninformed point of view.
Re: Neural correlates of the DMT experience assessed with multivariate EEG
#130Earlier quoted context omitted.
Agreed that it's interesting nonetheless. I've been "joking" with my friends that I want to take a trip to Costa Rica to do Ayahuasca with them. The "story" of how Ayahuasca came to be is quite fascinating: Ayahuasca, the drink, is actually comprised of two plant-based ingredients. One of the ingredients supplies the "DMT" portion, but the effects would last a very short time (something like 20 seconds to a couple mi…
This lecture from Dr. Peterson was pretty fascinating and succinct: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gol5sPM073k