Psychedelics and the science of self-experience
Read “Psychedelics and the science of self-experience by Nour and Carhart-Harris respond to the following questions:
1. How do the authors define the self?
2. What is the default mode network and what role does it appear to play in consciousness?
3. What do the authors say about psychedelic drugs as they relate to consciousness and the self?
Sample Solution
Altered self-experiences arise in certain psychiatric conditions, and may be induced by psychoactive drugs and spiritual/religious practices. Recently, a neuroscience of self-experience has begun to crystallise, drawing upon findings from functional neuroimaging and altered states of consciousness occasioned by psychedelic drugs. This advance may be of great importance for psychiatry. There is convergent evidence that high doses of psychedelic substances can elicit states of ego dissolution (Nour and Carhart-Harris, 2017;Millière et al., 2018). Ego dissolution is defined as a significant disruption of the sense of self(Nour and Carhart-Harris 2017; Millière et al., 2018) to the point of temporary loss of one’s sense of self and self-world boundaries (Letheby and Gerrans, 2017;Millière, 2017Millière, , 2020. This experiential phenomenon is correlated with disintegration and desegregation on the neural systems level (Tagliazucchi et al., 2016;Carhart-Harris et al., 2016b).
