It’s time for psychedelic neuroscience to face its DMNs
To link DMN [Default Mode Network] disintegration to a mental state as particular as ego-dissolution is to conveniently ignore years of non-psychedelic research findings.
Returning to psychedelics, to claim that the DMN is the neural seat of the ego — and that its disintegration represents ego loss — is an ambitious reverse inference. To prove its validity, a researcher would have to demonstrate that disintegration of the DMN and ego dissolution correlate 1:1. In other words, if a subject’s MRI scan showed a disintegration of the DMN, then that subject must have been experiencing ego dissolution. Empirically, this couldn’t be further from the truth. It turns out that disintegration of the DMN isn’t specific to “ego-dissolving” drugs like psilocybin. It’s not even specific to hallucinogens.
Original Article (Medium):
It’s time for psychedelic neuroscience to face its DMNs
Artwork Fair Use: Andreashorn
