GoKawiilMonash study finds psilocybin reorganizes brain activity rather than causing random chaos
Researchers at Monash University gave 62 psychedelic-naive volunteers 19 milligrams of psilocybin and scanned their brains using MRI and EEG while they rested, meditated, listened to music, and watched cloud videos. Using AI analysis, the team, led by neuroscientist Devon Stoliker, found that brain activity under the drug followed patterns rather than being purely disordered, as previously assumed.
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The findings could challenge the decade-old 'entropic brain' theory that attributes psychedelics' effects to random disorganization of neural networks, Stoliker suggests. If confirmed, this reframing might help explain why psychedelic experiences often feel meaningful or insightful to users rather than simply chaotic, potentially informing how researchers design future psychedelic therapies for mental health conditions.
- 62 psychedelic-naive participants received 19mg of psilocybin and underwent MRI and EEG scans across four different settings.
- AI analysis suggested psilocybin produces patterned rather than purely chaotic brain activity.
- The study avoided cognitive tasks to preserve 'ecological validity' of the psychedelic experience.
Source: arstechnica.com, 2026-10-10
Published there as: “One with the world? A new look at brains transformed by psychedelics.”
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