INTRODUCTION: Taking microdoses (a mere fraction of normal doses) of psychedelic substances, such as truffles, recently gained popularity, as it allegedly has multiple beneficial effects including creativity and problem-solving performance, potentially through targeting serotonergic 5-HT2A receptors and promoting cognitive flexibility, crucial to creative thinking. Nevertheless, enhancing effects of microdosing remain anecdotal, and in the absence of quantitative research on microdosing psychedelics, it is impossible to draw definitive conclusions on that matter. Here, our main aim was to quantitatively explore the cognitive-enhancing potential of microdosing psychedelics in healthy adults. METHODS: During a microdosing event organized by the Dutch Psychedelic Society, we examined the effects of psychedelic truffles (which were later analyzed to quantify active psychedelic alkaloids) on two creativity-related problem-solving tasks: the Picture Concept Task assessing convergent thinking and the Alternative Uses Task assessing divergent thinking. A short version of the Ravens Progressive Matrices task assessed potential changes in fluid intelligence. We tested once before taking a microdose and once while the effects were expected to be manifested. RESULTS: We found that both convergent and divergent thinking performance was improved after a non-blinded microdose, whereas fluid intelligence was unaffected. CONCLUSION: While this study provides quantitative support for the cognitive-enhancing properties of microdosing psychedelics, future research has to confirm these preliminary findings in more rigorous placebo-controlled study designs. Based on these preliminary results, we speculate that psychedelics might affect cognitive metacontrol policies by optimizing the balance between cognitive persistence and flexibility. We hope this study will motivate future microdosing studies with more controlled designs to test this hypothesis.
- MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Hallucinogens administration & dosage MeSH
- Intelligence drug effects physiology MeSH
- Intelligence Tests MeSH
- Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic MeSH
- Creativity * MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Motivation drug effects physiology MeSH
- Thinking drug effects physiology MeSH
- Nootropic Agents administration & dosage MeSH
- Problem Solving drug effects physiology MeSH
- Photic Stimulation methods MeSH
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Clinical Trial, Phase I MeSH
- Pragmatic Clinical Trial MeSH
- MeSH
- Alpha Rhythm MeSH
- Self Stimulation physiology MeSH
- Electroencephalography MeSH
- Creativity * MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging MeSH
- Brain Mapping * MeSH
- Brain physiology MeSH
- Thinking * physiology MeSH
- Neuropsychological Tests MeSH
- Problem Solving physiology MeSH
- Sex Factors MeSH
- Consciousness MeSH
- Cerebrum physiology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Review MeSH
Halsteadova-Reitanova neuropsychologická baterie (HRNB) je v anglické jazykové oblasti široce akceptovaná. Její český překlad je používaný od roku 1988. Metody: Před resekční neurochirurgickou operací byl vyšetřen soubor 25 nemocných temporální epilepsií. U 18 osob bylo provedeno také pooperační kontrolní vyšetření. Výsledky: * 1. Průměrné pooperační výkony celého souboru se ve všech proměnných významně nelišily od předoperačních. Při zaměření na jednotlivce byla významná změna (o více než 1 standardní odchylku) ve škále celkového neuropsychologického deficitu (GNDS) u třetiny tj. u 6 osob, z toho u 4 zhoršení, u 2 osob zlepšení. * 2. Škály levostranného neuropsychologického deficitu (LNDS) a pravostranného neuropsychologického deficitu (RNDS) nebyly ve zcela jednoznačném vztahu k epileptickému fokusu. Ovšem HRNB má řadu dalších indikátorů pro posuzování lateralizace. * 3. Některé proměnné HRNB jak před operací, tak po operaci byly významně lepší u úspěšných operací. Závěr: Vyšetření metodou HRNB může být přínosem u komplikovaných případů epilepsie, zvláště při úvahách o chirurgickém řešení.
The Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery (HRNB) is broadly accepted in English speaking countries. The Czech translation is being used from 1988. Methods: The sample of 25 temporal lobe epileptic patients was evaluated by standardized battery before resective neurosurgery Postsurgical control evaluation was also performed on 18 persons. Results: * 1. Average postoperative performances of whole sample in all variables were not significantly different from pre-operative performances. Focusing on individuals, a significant change was found (more than one standard deviation) on the General Neuropsychological Deficit Scale (GNDS) in one third of patients, that is, in 6 persons in total, out of whom 4 persons registered deterioration, and 2 improved. * 2. Left Neuropsychological Deficit Scale (LNDS) and Right Neuropsychological Deficit Scale (RNDS) were not in completely unambiguous relation to epileptic focus. Of course, HRNB has many other indicators for evaluation of lateralization. * 3. Some variables of HRNB, both before surgery and after, were significantly better in successful surgeries. Conclusion: evaluation by HRNB can be beneficial in complicated epilepsy cases, particularly when surgery is considered.
- Keywords
- lateralizace, neurochirugická operace,
- MeSH
- Brain Damage, Chronic diagnosis physiopathology MeSH
- Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe diagnosis drug therapy surgery MeSH
- Drug Resistance MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Motor Skills physiology classification MeSH
- Neurosurgical Procedures methods MeSH
- Neuropsychological Tests statistics & numerical data MeSH
- Neuropsychology MeSH
- Memory physiology classification MeSH
- Problem Solving physiology classification MeSH
- Trail Making Test statistics & numerical data MeSH
- Treatment Outcome MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
AIMS: To assess the impact of cognitive task solving on respiratory and cardiovascular parameters. METHODS: The ML870B80 Exercise Physiology System was used to record concurrently with EEG, the cardiorespiratory and metabolic functions of subjects during cognitive activity. The Expired Minute Ventilation (VE), Oxygen Consumption (VO2), Carbon Dioxide Production (VCO2) and Average Heart Rate (BPM) were ascertained for four periods: (1) rest or starting period, (2) reference period, (3) cognitive task solving period and (4) recovery period. Each period was defined by the type of presented visual stimuli and by the prearranged cognitive activity related to visual stimuli. The personality traits of participants were also determined. RESULTS: The momentary functional state of subject's brain (i.e. the period of the experiment) determined the average values of all measured parameters. During the cognitive task solving period the average VE, VO2 and VCO2 reached the lowest values while the HR behaved reversely--it was the highest in the cognitive task solving period. Further, the average VE, VCO2 and HR values but not VO2 value differed significantly from average values for the same variable measured in the rest period. CONCLUSION: The changes in respiratory variables during the cognitive task solving period predicate the whole-body metabolic rate rather than the energy metabolism of the brain alone. However, the heart rate related to some personality traits of the subject has a tighter relation to brain's energy metabolic rate during the cognitive task solving--it affects the oxygen supply of the brain.
AIMS: To analyze the event-related desynchronization/synchronization (ERD/ERS) attended with the mental load arising while solving two cognitive tasks. The features of the presented visual stimulus determined the type of cognitive task that should be solved. METHODS: For each experimental task and everybody's subject FFT Analysis module calculated the total power histograms from a fixed frequency band (3-20 Hz or 8-13 Hz) for each 3-second EEG sample with 50 % overlay and all electrodes. From the histograms the software derived two FFT single values--the average Total Power (TP) and Frequency at Maximum Power (FMP). RESULTS: It has been shown that during the solution of cognitive tasks the marked changes of ongoing EEG activity appeared. The short lasting and localized amplitude decrease in rhythmic activity (ERD) and the change of EEG frequency were among the most frequent. The ERD extent was determined by an informational content of processed visual stimuli and by the site of scalp-recording electrode. A higher mental load related to the solution of cognitive tasks shifted the average FM to lower frequencies. CONCLUSION: The suitability of an analysis of ongoing EEG activity to uncover differences in people's brain activation patterns when engaged in performing cognitively demanding tasks was proved.
- MeSH
- Mental Processes physiology MeSH
- Electroencephalography Phase Synchronization physiology MeSH
- Electroencephalography * methods utilization MeSH
- Evoked Potentials physiology MeSH
- Executive Function physiology MeSH
- Cognitive Science methods MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Personality physiology classification MeSH
- Psychophysiology * methods instrumentation MeSH
- Problem Solving * physiology MeSH
- Statistics as Topic MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
