By Richard Haridy
A fascinating study led by scientists at the University of Zurich has uncovered key insights into the mechanisms behind how our brain generates our sense of self. The researchers administered lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) to several participants in order to home in on where in the brain our sense of self is activated and what happens when a powerful psychedelic drug interferes with that process.
The fundamental goal of the research was to better understand the neurological and pharmacological mechanisms behind the brain’s construction of its sense of self. With this knowledge scientists can subsequently hope to develop new treatments for psychiatric disorders that stem from fundamental distortions of that sense of self, including schizophrenia or depression.