Consciousness

Long-Term Effects of Orgasmic Meditation (OM) on Brain Activity (Metabolism, Function, Structure) (2024 Study)

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Long-term practitioners of Orgasmic Meditation (OM) show distinct patterns of reduced brain metabolism compared to non-meditators, with significant differences in various brain regions involved in cognition, attention, and emotional regulation. Highlights: Reduced Metabolism: OM practitioners exhibit significantly lower metabolic activity in the frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes, as well as the anterior cingulate, insula, and …

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Heartbeats Modify Time Perception

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New research reveals that the timing of our heartbeats relative to external events distorts our perception of how much time has passed. The study provides evidence that cardiac signals directly impact time perception on a moment-to-moment basis. Key Facts: Time perception was shown to contract during heart systole (when the heart contracts) and expand during …

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AI Consciousness: Clues to Know if AI Becomes Conscious

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Artificial intelligence (AI) systems are rapidly becoming more sophisticated and human-like. This raises an intriguing question: could AI systems one day become conscious? A new interdisciplinary paper explores this complex issue, assessing theories about the neural basis of consciousness and their implications for AI. Key takeaways: Current AI systems are not conscious, but there may …

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Rat Brains on Psychedelics: Hyper-Connectivity Between Regions

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Researchers find similarities in brain activity induced by different psychedelic drugs in rats, providing clues to how they alter consciousness. Key facts: Psychedelic drugs like LSD and ketamine induce high-frequency brain waves that synchronize activity across the cortex. This hypersynchrony was seen between the frontal cortex, sensory areas and emotion centers like the ventral striatum. …

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Buddhist Meditation Dampens Brain Reactivity to External Sounds

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Buddhist meditation practices have been shown to create different states of consciousness. A new study looked at how traditional Buddhist meditation affects how the brain processes sounds. The results show that these meditations change brain activity in a way that tunes out sensory information. Key Facts: 115 Tibetan Buddhist monks with at least 3 years …

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