Transient destabilization of whole brain dynamics induced by N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT)

The transition towards the brain state induced by psychedelic drugs is frequently neglected in favor of a static description of their acute effects. We use a time-dependent whole-brain model to reproduce large-scale brain dynamics measured with fMRI from 15 volunteers under 20 mg intravenous N,N-Dim...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Piccinini, Juan, Sanz Perl, Yonatan, Pallavicini, Carla, Deco, Gustavo, Kringelbach, Morten L., Nutt, David J., Carhart-Harris, Robin L., Timmermann, Christopher, Tagliazucchi, Enzo
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repositorio:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:10230/72690
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10230/72690
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07576-0
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Drogues
Cervell
Al·lucinògens
Descripción
Sumario:The transition towards the brain state induced by psychedelic drugs is frequently neglected in favor of a static description of their acute effects. We use a time-dependent whole-brain model to reproduce large-scale brain dynamics measured with fMRI from 15 volunteers under 20 mg intravenous N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a short-acting psychedelic. To capture its transient effects, we parametrize the proximity to a global bifurcation using a pharmacokinetic equation. Simulated perturbations reveal a transient of heightened reactivity concentrated in fronto-parietal regions and visual cortices, correlated with serotonin 5HT2a receptor density, the primary target of psychedelics. These advances suggest a mechanism to explain key features of the psychedelic state and also predicts that the temporal evolution of these features aligns with pharmacokinetics. Our results contribute to understanding how psychedelics introduce a transient where minimal perturbations can achieve a maximal effect, shedding light on how short psychedelic episodes may extend an overarching influence over time.