At the congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology in Munich, Germany, researchers presented the results of a study in which intensive breathing exercises were accompanied by an approximately 45% reduction in blood flow in the brain’s gray matter. As News-Medical reports, during the session, the average measure fell from 16.24 to 9.81 ml per 100 g of tissue per minute.

Study during MRI

The study involved 30 healthy people who already had experience with such breathing practices. They performed exercises involving intensive lung ventilation during magnetic resonance imaging. Participants reported pronounced altered states of consciousness: changes in perception, vivid mental imagery, a sense of unity, and changes in self-perception.

Some participants described a profound sense of connection with the Universe, which researchers compared with the effects of moderate or high doses of LSD or psilocybin, although visual effects were less pronounced. The authors do not claim that the reduction in blood flow alone explains the intensity of the experiences.

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Changes in brain networks

People with stronger subjective experiences also showed greater changes in the brain’s default mode network. This network is associated with self-reflection and thinking about oneself. Lead researcher Christian Schmitz of the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim noted that the results point both to changes in cerebral blood flow and to a restructuring of communication between key brain networks.

Study coordinator Hana Adolfi called breathing practices a legal, inexpensive, and non-drug tool for studying altered states of consciousness. She emphasized that the study was relatively small and that its conclusions are preliminary. Independent commentator Guy Finchem also noted that the study was uncontrolled and that all participants already had experience with breathing practices. Larger studies are needed to assess the clinical significance of the results.

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