Search Results (56)

John Allegro’s The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross posits that early Christianity derived from fertility cults involving psychedelic mushroom use. Though widely discredited by scholars when it was first published, the theory persists in popular culture and entheogenic discourse. This article evaluates the scholarly reception, methodological flaws, and enduring cultural impact of Allegro’s thesis, particularly its role in the broader psychedelic mysteries hypothesis. Although Allegro’s linguistic methodology has been rejected by most experts, his work has contributed to renewed interest in the role of entheogens in religious traditions, with some scholars attempting to salvage Allegro’s intuitive insights while distancing themselves from his linguistic excesses. Due to its foundational methodological flaws, however, Allegro’s work is best viewed as a historical curiosity rather than a reliable source for contemporary entheogenic scholarship. Full article

This article explores the often-overlooked question of how literary reading might give rise to experiences that readers themselves identify as spiritual. Framed by William James’s account of “mystical susceptibility” and recent psychological models of spirituality as altered states of consciousness involving shifts in perception, affect, and cognition, the essay asks how engagement with narrative may occasion such states. Drawing from selected examples and critical traditions, it examines the conditions under which reading becomes spiritually resonant. Theologically, the piece considers the formation of attentiveness and imaginative receptivity in writers such as Teresa of Avila and Jessica Hooten Wilson. From affect theory, it engages Rita Felski’s language of enchantment; from cognitive studies, it draws on empirical approaches to literary studies and Tanya Luhrmann’s work on absorption and the cultivation of spiritual perception. By drawing attention to absorption as a psychological and aesthetic phenomenon, this article suggests a renewed interdisciplinary approach—one that connects empirical studies of attention and transformation with older theological and affective insights. In this way, literature may be examined not as a site of doctrinal meaning or subjective feeling alone, but as a form of engagement capable of opening readers to spiritual insight whose impact might be measured through qualitative means. Full article

Sleep paralysis (SP), an REM parasomnia, can be characterized as one of the symptoms of narcolepsy. The SP phenomenon involves regaining meta-consciousness by the dreamer during REM, when the physiological atonia of skeletal muscles is accompanied by visual and auditory hallucinations that are perceived as vivid and distressing nightmares. Sensory impressions include personification of an unknown presence, strong chest pressure sensation, and intense fear resulting from subjective interaction with the unfolding nightmare. While the mechanism underlying skeletal muscle atonia is known, the physiology of hallucinations remains unclear. Their complex etiology involves interactions among various membrane receptor systems and neurotransmitters, which leads to altered neuronal functionality and disruptions in sensory perception. According to current knowledge, serotonergic activation of 5-hydroxytryptamine-receptor-2A (5-HT2A)-associated pathways plays a critical role in promoting hallucinogenesis during SP. Furthermore, they share similarities with psychedelic-substance-induced ones (i.e., LSD, psilocybin, and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine). These compounds also target the 5-HT2A receptor; however, their molecular mechanism varies from serotonin-induced ones. The current review discusses the intracellular signaling pathways responsible for promoting hallucinations in SP, highlighting the critical role of β-arrestin-2. We propose that the β-arrestin-2 signaling pathway does not directly induce hallucinations but creates a state of network susceptibility that facilitates their abrupt emergence in sensory areas. Understanding the molecular basis of serotonergic hallucinations and gaining better insight into 5-HT2A-receptor-dependent pathways may prove crucial in the treatment of multifactorial neuropsychiatric disorders associated with the dysfunctional activity of serotonin receptors. Full article

This study aimed to investigate the practical effects of symbolic imagery on shamanic religious rituals, emotional modulation, belief deepening, and alterations in the state of consciousness. Thirty participants were recruited and randomly assigned to either a control group or an experimental group for comparative investigation. The results indicated that participants in the experimental group showed significant increases in supernatural belief scores after the ritual, along with notable decreases in negative emotions such as tension, anger, and fatigue. Additionally, the state of consciousness of both groups of participants changed significantly after the ceremony, and the changes in the experimental group were more significant. These findings provide preliminary empirical support for the hypothesis that shamanic symbolic imagery promotes the transformation of consciousness, and affects emotion regulation and belief formation by activating visual perception and symbolic psychological mechanisms. This study not only provides preliminary empirical evidence for the effectiveness of image-based interventions in inducing altered states of consciousness (ASC), but also deepens the understanding of the role of religious symbolic mechanisms in consciousness transformation and provides a new theoretical direction for applied research in the field of religious psychology and consciousness research. Full article

(1) Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused from rapid head acceleration/deceleration, focal blows, blasts, penetrating forces, and/or shearing forces, whereas hypoxic–anoxic injury (HAI) is caused through oxygen deprivation events, including strangulation. Most service-seeking domestic violence (DV) survivors have prior mechanistic exposures that can lead to both injuries. At the time of our study, some evidence existed about the exposure to both injuries over the course of a survivor’s lifetime from abuse sources, yet little was known about their co-occurrence to the same survivor within the same episode of physical intimate partner violence (IPV). To better understand the lived experience of service-seeking DV survivors and the context in which partner-inflicted brain injury (PIBI) is sustained, we sought to understand intentional brain injury (BI) exposures that may need to be addressed and accommodated in services. Our aims were to 1. characterize the lifetime co-occurrence of strangulation and intentional head trauma exposures from all abuse sources to the same survivor and within select physical episodes of IPV and 2. establish the lifetime prevalence of PIBI. (2) Methods: Survivors seeking DV services in the state of Ohio in the United States of America (U.S.) completed interview-administered surveys in 2019 (n = 47). Community-based participatory action approaches guided all aspects of the study development, implementation, and interpretation. (3) Results: The sample was primarily women. Over 40% reported having Medicaid, the government-provided health insurance for the poor. Half had less than a postsecondary education. Over 80% of participants presented to DV services with both intentional head trauma and strangulation exposures across their lifetime from intimate partners and other abuse sources (i.e., child abuse, family violence, peer violence, sexual assault, etc.), though not always experienced at the same time. Nearly 50% reported an experience of concurrent head trauma and strangulation in either the first or last physical IPV episode. Following a partner’s attack, just over 60% reported ever having blacked out or lost consciousness—44% experienced a loss of consciousness (LOC) more than once—indicating a conservative estimate of a probable brain injury by an intimate partner. Over 80% of service-seeking DV survivors reported either a LOC or two or more alterations in consciousness (AICs) following an IPV attack and were classified as ever having a partner-inflicted brain injury. (4) Conclusions: Most service-seeking IPV survivors experience repetitive and concurrent exposures to abusive strangulation and head trauma through the life course and by intimate partners within the same violent event resulting in brain injury. We propose the use of the term partner-inflicted brain injury (PIBI) to describe the physiological disruption of normal brain functions caused by intentional, often concurrent and repeated, traumatic and hypoxic neurologic insults by an intimate partner within the context of ongoing psychological trauma, coercive control, and often past abuse exposures that could also result in chronic brain injury. We discuss CARE (Connect, Acknowledge, Respond, Evaluate), a brain-injury-aware enhancement to service delivery. CARE improved trauma-informed practices at organizations serving DV survivors because staff felt knowledgeable to address and accommodate brain injuries. Survivor behavior was then interpreted by staff as a “can’t” not a “won’t”, and social and functional supports were offered. Full article

Since its origins, the debate on the interaction between religions and psychoactives has been strongly influenced, both positively and negatively, by prejudices, policies, fashions and trends that had little to do with scientific research. Stigma and exaltation in different historical moments have equally characterized the study of the presence and use of so-called entheogens in the different declinations of the shamanic phenomenon around the world. This article attempts to shed light on the various trends regarding the state of the art, providing new epistemological elements on the basis of an ethnographic investigation among some Indigenous peoples of India. The production of alcoholic beverages (fermented and distilled, but sometimes in combination with other psychoactive or hallucinogens among the starters) is a fundamental trait of the aboriginal (ādivāsī) cultures of the Indian subcontinent. Not immune from an attempt at political instrumentalization, which occurred both in the colonial period and in the contemporary era, the discourse on the natural production of these sacred substances is today the key to understanding indigenous ontology and its traditional idea of sustainability. Far beyond the mere documentation of the induction of altered states of consciousness, this investigation involves the discovery of local pharmacopeias, as well as principles of fermentation and food preservation. Full article

This study explores the use of immersive Virtual Reality (VR) cave environments to investigate hypotheses concerning altered states of consciousness, creativity, and flexible thinking in archaeological contexts. Building on the premise that ancient humans used caves as sites for rituals involving altered consciousness, we recreated a virtual cave environment to simulate these experiences and examine their impact on participants’ cognitive processes. Participants engaged in pareidolic tasks within both a virtual cave and a virtual open-space environment, allowing for comparative analysis of semantic network organization and subjective experiences. Our findings show that the cave environment elicited higher emotional arousal and spiritual engagement, as well as an improvement in the aspects of creativity and flexible thinking. These results suggest that VR can serve as a powerful tool in archaeology for reconstructing early humans’ experiences and investigating their psychological and cognitive states, thus providing new insights into their use of caves for mind-altering or ritualistic purposes. This interdisciplinary approach contributes to both cognitive archaeology and the development of immersive VR technologies in scientific research. Full article

Substance-induced psychosis (SIP) is an increasingly prevalent and complex condition that presents significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. With the rising use of novel psychoactive substances (NPSs) and potent traditional compounds like cannabis and cocaine, particularly among adolescents and young adults, understanding the mechanisms and clinical manifestations of SIP has become more critical. This review examines the psychopathological characteristics of SIP, focusing on the differentiation between substance-induced and primary psychotic disorders. Two key concepts are explored: Gaëtan de Clérambault’s “mental automatism”, which describes involuntary thoughts and sensations experienced as alien to the self, and the “twilight state” of consciousness, characterized by an altered perception of space, time, and social interaction. These phenomena are essential in understanding how substance use triggers psychotic processes and how SIP differs from endogenous psychosis. This review also highlights the clinical and phenomenological distinctions between acute and chronic psychotic episodes, emphasizing the potential transition from SIP to persistent psychosis, especially in cases of frequent and potent substance use. It discusses the diagnostic and therapeutic importance of recognizing specific psychopathological markers such as alterations in temporality, spatiality, and intersubjectivity. Understanding these features enhances the clinician’s ability to accurately differentiate SIP from primary psychotic disorders, which is often complicated by the widespread use of substances that may not be easily detectable in standard tests. This review concludes by advocating for a clinical–phenomenological approach to empathically engage with patients and provide a solid diagnostic framework for improved treatment strategies, particularly for those at risk of transitioning to chronic psychosis. Full article

Background and Objectives: Alzheimer’s disease is a global health concern, with a rising prevalence among the elderly. Current pharmacological treatments, including acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) and N-Methyl D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, are associated with adverse events (AEs), particularly in the context of polypharmacy. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Alzheimer’s disease treatment combinations, the number of concomitant medications, and the occurrence of AEs. Materials and Methods: Data from the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report database, spanning from April 2004 to June 2020, were analyzed. Patients aged 60 and older with Alzheimer’s disease treated with AChEIs (donepezil, galantamine, and rivastigmine) or the NMDA receptor antagonist memantine were included. Logistic regression models were employed to assess the association between AEs and Alzheimer’s disease drug combinations, as well as the number of concomitant medications. Results: Among 2653 patients, 47.7% were prescribed five or more drugs. The frequency of AEs was 6.4% for bradycardia, 4.6% for pneumonia, 3.6% for altered state of consciousness, 3.5% for seizures, 3.5% for decreased appetite, 3.5% for vomiting, 3.4% for loss of consciousness, 3.4% for fracture, 3.2% for cardiac failure, and 3.0% for falls. The combination of memantine with AChEIs was associated with a higher risk of bradycardia, whereas donepezil alone was linked to a reduced risk of fractures and falls. Polypharmacy was significantly correlated with an increased incidence of AEs, particularly altered state of consciousness, decreased appetite, vomiting, and falls. The adjusted odds ratios for using five or more drugs compared to no drugs was 10.45 for altered state of consciousness, 7.92 for decreased appetite, 4.74 for vomiting, and 5.95 for falls. Conclusions: In the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, the occurrence of AEs is associated with the number of concurrent medications, independently of the known AEs of Alzheimer’s disease drugs and their combination patterns. Full article

Background/Objectives: Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have revolutionized multiple myeloma (MM) treatment. However, post-marketing data on their neuropsychiatric safety are limited. This study aimed to evaluate neuropsychiatric adverse events (AEs) related to mAbs used for MM through a retrospective pharmacovigilance analysis using the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Events Reporting System (FAERS) database. Methods: Individual case safety reports (ICSRs) from 2015 to 2023 with at least one neuropsychiatric AE and one of the MM-approved mAbs as the suspected drug (i.e., daratumumab, elotuzumab, isatuximab, belantamab mafodotin, teclistamab, elranatamab, and talquentamab) were analyzed using descriptive and disproportionality approaches. Results: Unknown signals of disproportionate reporting (SDR) included the following: cerebral infarction for daratumumab (n = 45; reporting odds ratio (ROR) = 2.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.79–3.21; information component (IC) = 1.54, IC₀₂₅–IC₀₇₅ = 1.05–1.9), elotuzumab (25; 7.61, 5.13–11.28; 3.03, 2.37–3.51), and isatuximab (10; 2.56, 1.38–4.76; 1.67, 0.59–2.4); mental status changes for daratumumab (40; 2.66, 1.95–3.63; 1.67, 1.14–2.04) and belantamab mafodotin (10; 4.23, 2.28–7.88; 2.3, 1.22–3.03); an altered state of consciousness for daratumumab (32; 1.97, 1.39–2.78; 1.32, 0.73–1.74) and belantamab mafodotin (6; 2.35, 1.05–5.23; 1.6, 0.19–2.52); Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) for daratumumab (23; 6.42, 4.26–9.69; 2.81, 2.11–3.3), isatuximab (8; 10.72, 5.35–21.48; 3.57, 2.35–4.37), and elotuzumab (3; 4.74, 1.53–14.7; 2.59, 0.52–3.8); and orthostatic intolerance for daratumumab (10; 12.54, 6.71–23.43; 3.75, 2.67–4.48) and elotuzumab (4; 28.31, 10.58–75.73; 5, 3.24–6.08). Conclusions: Our analysis highlighted several previously unacknowledged SDRs for MM-approved mAbs. Given the complex and not entirely understood etiology of some neuropsychiatric AEs, including GBS, further investigations are necessary. Full article

This narrative review explores the utilization of psychedelic states in therapeutic contexts, deliberately shifting the focus from psychedelic substances back to the experiential phenomena which they induce, in alignment with the original meaning of the term “mind-manifesting”. This review provides an overview of various psychedelic substances used in modern therapeutic settings and ritualistic indigenous contexts, as well as non-pharmacological methods that can arguably induce psychedelic states, including breathwork, meditation, and sensory deprivation. While the occurrence of mystical experiences in psychedelic states seems to be the strongest predictor of positive outcomes, the literature of this field yields several other psychological processes, such as awe, perspective shifts, insight, emotional breakthrough, acceptance, the re-experiencing of memories, and certain aspects of challenging experiences, that are significantly associated with positive change. Additionally, we discuss in detail mystical experience-related changes in metaphysical as well as self-related beliefs and their respective contributions to observed outcomes. We conclude that a purely medical and neurobiological perspective on psychological health is reductive and should not overshadow the significance of phenomenological experiences in understanding and treating psychological issues that manifest in the subjective realities of human individuals. Full article

Hypnotic phenomena exhibit significant inter-individual variability, with some individuals consistently demonstrating efficient responses to hypnotic suggestions, while others show limited susceptibility. Recent neurophysiological studies have added to a growing body of research that shows variability in hypnotic susceptibility is linked to distinct neural characteristics. Building on this foundation, our previous work identified that individuals with high and low hypnotic susceptibility can be differentiated based on the arrhythmic activity observed in resting-state electrophysiology (rs-EEG) outside of hypnosis. However, because previous work has largely focused on mean spectral characteristics, our understanding of the variability over time of these features, and how they relate to hypnotic susceptibility, is still limited. Here we address this gap using a time-resolved assessment of rhythmic alpha peaks and arrhythmic components of the EEG spectrum both prior to and following hypnotic induction. Using multivariate pattern classification, we investigated whether these neural features differ between individuals with high and low susceptibility to hypnosis. Specifically, we used multivariate pattern classification to investigate whether these non-stationary neural features could distinguish between individuals with high and low susceptibility to hypnosis before and after a hypnotic induction. Our analytical approach focused on time-resolved spectral decomposition to capture the intricate dynamics of neural oscillations and their non-oscillatory counterpart, as well as Lempel–Ziv complexity. Our results show that variations in the alpha center frequency are indicative of hypnotic susceptibility, but this discrimination is only evident during hypnosis. Highly hypnotic-susceptible individuals exhibit higher variability in alpha peak center frequency. These findings underscore how dynamic changes in neural states related to alpha peak frequency represent a central neurophysiological feature of hypnosis and hypnotic susceptibility. Full article

Over the past decade and a half, dynamic functional imaging has revealed low-dimensional brain connectivity measures, identified potential common human spatial connectivity states, tracked the transition patterns of these states, and demonstrated meaningful transition alterations in disorders and over the course of development. Recently, researchers have begun to analyze these data from the perspective of dynamic systems and information theory in the hopes of understanding how these dynamics support less easily quantified processes, such as information processing, cortical hierarchy, and consciousness. Little attention has been paid to the effects of psychiatric disease on these measures, however. We begin to rectify this by examining the complexity of subject trajectories in state space through the lens of information theory. Specifically, we identify a basis for the dynamic functional connectivity state space and track subject trajectories through this space over the course of the scan. The dynamic complexity of these trajectories is assessed along each dimension of the proposed basis space. Using these estimates, we demonstrate that schizophrenia patients display substantially simpler trajectories than demographically matched healthy controls and that this drop in complexity concentrates along specific dimensions. We also demonstrate that entropy generation in at least one of these dimensions is linked to cognitive performance. Overall, the results suggest great value in applying dynamic systems theory to problems of neuroimaging and reveal a substantial drop in the complexity of schizophrenia patients’ brain function. Full article

The current psychedelic renaissance intersects with Christian practices in two key ways. First, as psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) becomes more common, Christians undergoing therapeutic medical treatment may seek outside support for integrating into their religious lives mystical experiences that occur during psychedelic sessions. Second, with increasing legal access to psychedelics, more Christians may explore their spiritual potential outside of a medical context, either individually with spiritual guides or collectively in organized retreats. Many will have mystical encounters related to the Divine. Whether the experience involves the overwhelming presence or absence of the Divine, these Christians, too, will seek integration support. This essay argues that the Bible can serve as a rich source for such integration, because it contains significant material about mystical experiences marked by altered states of consciousness. First, I summarize the importance of the psychedelic renaissance, especially the scientific studies being conducted, as it relates to Christian practices of spiritual formation. Second, I explore new work being conducted by biblical scholars regarding embodied religious experiences with the Divine (and others), including mystical experiences. Third, I consider the Apostle Paul’s embodied mystical experience, with special attention to 2 Corinthians 12:1–10, as one example of biblical material that might intersect with or inform psychedelic mystical encounters that contemporary Christians might experience (whether in a medical therapeutic or non-medical spiritual formation setting). Finally, I indicate directions for further research and discussion. Full article

Introduction: Vitamin B1 deficiency poses a significant risk of impaired consciousness, with manifestations ranging from anorexia and fatigue to severe neurological and cardiovascular disturbances. Wernicke’s encephalopathy, a neurological disorder stemming from vitamin B1 deficiency, presents as the triad of ophthalmoplegia, altered mental state, and cerebellar ataxia. However, these symptoms are not consistently present, complicating the diagnosis. In addition, subclinical vitamin B1 deficiency can progress unnoticed until severe complications arise. Studies indicate a high rate of undiagnosed cases, emphasizing the need for early detection and intervention. Case presentation: We present the case of a 65-year-old man in whom hyperlactatemia was incidentally detected, leading to the diagnosis of vitamin B1 deficiency. The patient, presenting with vertigo and vomiting, had been eating boxed lunches bought from convenience stores following the death of his wife 3 years earlier. Vertigo gradually improved with rest, but the persistence of hyperlactatemia prompted further investigation, revealing low vitamin B1 levels and high pyruvate levels. Treatment with dietary adjustments and supplements significantly improved his symptoms. Discussion: In this case, hyperlactatemia was found in a vertigo patient, revealing asymptomatic vitamin B1 deficiency. Elevated lactate is often linked with conditions like sepsis but can also stem from overlooked factors such as low vitamin B1 levels due to poor diet habits like consuming fried foods. Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of considering vitamin B1 deficiency in patients with unexplained hyperlactatemia, even in high-income countries. Early detection can prevent progression to the severe complications associated with Wernicke’s encephalopathy. Proactive measurement of lactate levels in at-risk populations may facilitate early diagnosis and intervention, ultimately improving patient outcomes. Full article