Psychobiology of Altered States of Consciousness.

TLDR

Environmental stimuli, mental practices, and self‑control techniques can temporarily alter brain functioning and conscious experience. The article reviews current knowledge of altered states of consciousness, covering spontaneous, physically or physiologically evoked, psychologically induced, and disease‑caused states. The review emphasizes psychological and neurobiological approaches to understanding these states. Phenomenological analysis identified four dimensions—activation, awareness span, self‑awareness, and sensory dynamics—while neurophysiological studies linked ASC to compromised brain structure, transient disconnectivity, and neurochemical/metabolic changes.

Abstract

The article reviews the current knowledge regarding altered states of consciousness (ASC) (a) occurring spontaneously, (b) evoked by physical and physiological stimulation, (c) induced by psychological means, and (d) caused by diseases. The emphasis is laid on psychological and neurobiological approaches. The phenomenological analysis of the multiple ASC resulted in 4 dimensions by which they can be characterized: activation, awareness span, self-awareness, and sensory dynamics. The neurophysiological approach revealed that the different states of consciousness are mainly brought about by a compromised brain structure, transient changes in brain dynamics (disconnectivity), and neurochemical and metabolic processes. Besides these severe alterations, environmental stimuli, mental practices, and techniques of self-control can also temporarily alter brain functioning and conscious experience.