Physics Meet Psychedelics

Name: Physics Meet Psychedelics
Start: 2025-04-24T18:30:00+02:00
Location: Tržiště, 118 00 Praha, Česko

Schedule

Thu, 24 Apr, 2025 at 06:30 pm

UTC+02:00

Location

Tržiště, 118 00 Praha, Česko | Prague, PR

What makes us conscious?
Why do people in coma show no signs of awareness, while others under psychedelics report profound conscious experiences?
Can we measure consciousness, and if so, can we restore it when it is lost?
In this discussion, we will explore how Neuroscience and Physics come together to help us understand consciousness and its alterations—ranging from deep unconscious states like coma to heightened experiences induced by psychedelics.
Scientific research suggests that the richness of our conscious experience is linked to the complexity of brain activity—how diversified the interactions between different brain regions are. In states like coma or deep sleep, this complexity is reduced. In normal wakefulness, it is higher. And under psychedelics, it may reach even greater levels, aligning with the idea of an expanded consciousness. By increasing brain complexity, psychedelics show promise in breaking rigid thought patterns associated with depression, OCD, and PTSD, opening new possibilities for therapy.
Join us as we discuss ideas at the frontier of modern neuroscience with real-world implications—from detecting hidden consciousness in unresponsive patients to the emerging role of psychedelics in mental health treatments.
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Dr. Giovanni Rabuffo
I'm passionate about exploring Consciousness from every possible angle—neuroscience, physics, mathematics, philosophy, and direct experience. My current research dives deep into brain network activity, modeling how it shifts across different states of Consciousness, from non-REM sleep to wakefulness. But I don’t stop at theory—I'm driven to test these in-silico hypotheses against real-world data, using fMRI, EEG, MEG, and brain stimulation techniques.
Psychedelics offer a fascinating window into Consciousness, challenging conventional models and pushing the boundaries of our understanding. By integrating psychedelic research into computational modeling and empirical validation, I aim to uncover new insights into the brain's dynamic landscapes.

Mgr. Marek Nikolič
I am conducting research under Dr. Tomáš Palenicek at the Psychedelic Research Centre of the National Institute of Mental Health, where I explore how computational methods can unlock the secrets of brain activity. I'm particularly fascinated by their application to psychedelics—both in clinical settings and natural environments.
Can these tools help us decode Consciousness itself? And beyond that, could they allow us to predict how psychedelics might aid mental health, cognition, or even human potential? These are the questions that drive my work, bridging cutting-edge data science with the profound mysteries of the mind.