WG4 publishes their first collaborative review on cutting-edge neuroimaging techniques applied to psychedelic research, mapping the neural signatures of altered states of consciousness.
New Frontiers in Brain Imaging
The review covers recent advances in fMRI, PET, EEG, and MEG methodologies as applied to the study of psychedelic compounds. These techniques have revealed unprecedented insights into how psychedelics alter brain connectivity and information processing.
Key findings highlight that psychedelics increase entropy in brain activity, reduce the activity of the default mode network, and enhance global functional connectivity between brain regions that normally do not communicate directly.
Standardization Efforts
A major focus of the review is the need for standardized neuroimaging protocols across European research centres. WG4 proposes a harmonized approach to:
- Data acquisition parameters for fMRI and PET studies
- Pre-processing pipelines for neuroimaging data
- Common analysis frameworks for cross-site comparisons
- Shared data repositories following FAIR principles
This standardization will enable multi-site studies with larger sample sizes, increasing the statistical power and generalizability of findings.
