Research on psychedelic drugs, such as psilocybin, LSD or DMT, is a burgeoning field, with an increasing number of studies showing their promise in treatment of mental disorders as well as examining their mechanism of action. Determining their effect on the brain is crucial from clinical standpoint, but also offers highly promising avenues of advancement in basic neuroscience-functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is one of the most useful techniques to do so, with a number of newly published studies increasing every year. Here we present a scoping review of existing fMRI studies of serotonergic psychedelics to date, with a focus on finding unifying themes among them, in order to comprehensively grasp current directions within this field. We cluster the existing studies by fMRI modality and find several lines of developing concepts complementing the established models of psychedelic actions on the brain: namely, we describe a general picture of de-differentiation with the default mode network at its core captured by a diverse array of different techniques, complex changes to the thalamus, amygdala and medial temporal lobe structures, and the importance of the phenomenon of ego dissolution. Finally, contrasts to phenomenologically similar states and the successful process of anchoring fMRI findings to other markers are discussed.

• Keywords
• DMT, LSD, ayahuasca, entropy, fMRI, functional connectivity, psilocybin, psychedelics,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Systematic Review MeSH

People worldwide are confronted with environmental and sociopolitical stressors that act as potent sources of subjective uncertainty. The uncertainty arising in response to the volatility and unpredictability of adversities is amplified by their representation or misrepresentation in media news. While the causal effect of media news on vicarious traumatization has been well established, we argue that the impact of negative media news is principally related to distress and anxiety stemming from the uncertainty-inducing effect of media representations of the state of the world. As a growing body of research suggests, minimizing uncertainty related to global stressors is a significant driver of media news use. However, extensive media exposure perpetuates stress and is associated with symptoms of psychopathology. The self-perpetuating vicious circle of worry and excessive media consumption has been amply confirmed by new research related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, attempts to alleviate stress and anxiety stemming from uncertainties often result in maladaptive strategies. In particular, the adoption of rigid behavioral patterns may prompt various forms of socially detrimental behavior. Critical factors in prevention and remediation include limiting media overexposure and implementing therapeutic interventions that focus on increasing tolerance to uncertainty.

• Keywords
• anxiety, cognitive psychology, media news, social context, stress, uncertainty,
• MeSH
• COVID-19 psychology   MeSH
• Mental Health * MeSH
• Mass Media * MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Uncertainty MeSH
• Stress, Psychological * psychology   etiology   MeSH
• Anxiety psychology   etiology   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Global communities are currently confronted with a number of complex problems and threats, the reality of which is amplified by the media. These environmental and socio-political stressors have been accompanied by the spread of problematic psychological and behavioural tendencies, such as the growing polarisation of opinions and values, online radicalisation and extremism, deepening xenophobia and nationalism, the proliferation of irrational beliefs and conspiracy theories, and resistance to rational public policy measures. Here we argue that although they fall outside the scope of psychopathology, they nevertheless currently constitute a major challenge for psychiatry as a research domain and a clinical practise. To substantiate this claim, we outline the mechanisms by which media-transmitted stressors impact mental well-being and possibly psychopathology. The common denominator of these global problems and the media's construction of reality is the increase in uncertainty, unpredictability, and uncontrollability, which prompts defensive responding and, in predisposed individuals, functions as a potent source of chronic stress. These contribute to cognitive inflexibility, a strong predisposing factor for the development of rigid beliefs and attitudes, which to varying degrees underlie the adverse psychological and behavioural tendencies mentioned above. We suggest that the tightening of beliefs and ideas that is the result of cognitive rigidity may correspond to the clinical characteristics of induced delusional disorder. This can be seen as a (ultimately maladaptive) defensive strategy for coping with a high degree of uncertainty and unpredictability. We conclude by briefly outlining the possible ways in which psychiatry can face this challenge.

• Keywords
• adversity, inflexibility, media news, stress, uncertainty,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH