Several years ago, Koch and colleagues of the Allen Brain Institute for Brain Science found anatomical evidence in mice to support this idea. Some, like neuroscientist Christof Koch, believe that the sense of self and ego rest here. Growing evidence suggests the claustrum orchestrates consciousness - gathering, sending and integrating information from almost every brain region. In this mysterious part of the brain, a thin sheet of neurons sends and receives signals to and from other brain regions. The less active the claustrum, the stronger the psychedelic effect reported by participants, including mystical and emotional experiences, and a reduced sense of self. The authors write that the work “supports a possible role of the claustrum in the subjective and therapeutic effects of psilocybin.” This coincides with people's subjective feelings of ego dissolution and oneness with their environment while under the influence of the drug. Published in NeuroImage, their breakthrough study used real-time brain scans in humans to show that psilocybin reduces activity in the claustrum by up to 30 percent. The claustrum is one of multiple brain regions that is rich in serotonin 2A receptors and organizes brain activity. Cognitive neuroscientist Frederick Barrett and colleagues at the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research recently examined how psilocybin affects neural activity in the claustrum. Knowing this helps us understand how psychedelics exert their positive therapeutic effect, as well as which brain regions are involved in various states of consciousness. The greater the density of these receptors, the greater the likelihood that a particular brain region contributes to the psychedelic experience, according to a study published in Neuropsychopharmacology. Researchers are examining the distribution of serotonin 2A receptors to help pinpoint the brain areas affected by psychedelics. Dozens of clinical trials are underway, the majority investigating the therapeutic effect of psilocybin, the active component in so-called magic mushrooms. This natural compound belongs to the class of serotonergic psychedelics - those that activate serotonin (type 2A) receptors.

Treated disorders have included depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, anorexia, obsessive compulsive disorder and addiction. Multiple studies testing psychedelic drugs for treating mental illness provide compelling evidence of their therapeutic benefit.

This revolution is expanding our understanding of one of the most captivating scientific puzzles: human consciousness. Numerous research fields are revealing new insights into how psychedelics affect the brain and which neural processes underly consciousness. The scientific world is in the midst of a decade-long psychedelic renaissance.

Altered state of mind store