According to a study, the way that hallucinogens improve insight and empathy is linked to how the right hemisphere of the brain is used.
The Journal of Psychopharmacology published a study examining the neurological mechanism underlying hallucinogens’ capacity to enhance empathy and insight.
It is well known that the left and right hemispheres of the human brain are separate and have distinct functions. The right hemisphere refers to the larger picture, whereas the left hemisphere manipulates individual parts.
The left hemisphere of our brain generally carries out conscious tasks and makes logical decisions. Nonetheless, there are circumstances in which the right hemisphere’s function is comparatively activated and the left hemisphere’s function is suppressed, leading to intuitive and creative appearances.
Neurological drugs known as hallucinogens alter perception, mood, and emotions. Although hallucinogens should be used carefully and have several adverse effects, psychotherapy also uses them because they can increase insight and empathy.
The researchers wanted to investigate the effects of hallucinogens on the brain by analyzing changes in cerebral blood flow and cerebral glucose metabolism.
The analysis showed that brain activity increased in the frontal lobe of the brain’s right hemisphere, and overall cerebral glucose metabolism was skewed toward the right hemisphere. The research team expressed the effects of these psychedelics as ‘HEALS (Hemispheric Annealing and Lateralization Under Psychedelics).’
They clarified that the idea behind HEALS is that psychedelics cause the hierarchical relationship between the brain’s hemispheres to vanish, exposing the influence of the right hemisphere, which the left hemisphere had previously suppressed.
According to the research team, HEALS is the mechanism through which psychological flexibility, creativity, social and emotional intelligence, and empathy that result from psychedelic effects manifest.
The study team also noted that new findings that mindfulness meditation increases the thickness of the brain’s right hemisphere and creates new neural networks in the brain are consistent with HEALS.
Based on these results, they concluded that psychedelics increase empathy and insight by expanding the use of the right hemisphere of the brain.
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