The neurophenomenology of a self-induced transcendental visionary state : A case study
Della Bella, Gabriel ; Picatto, Agustina Velez ; Galván Rial, Dante Sebastián ; Cukier, Sebastián ; Foa Torres, Gustavo ; Catanzariti, Magaly ; Mateos, Diego ; Lamberti, Pedro ; Cardeña, Etzel LU
and Barttfeld, Pablo
(2026)
In NeuroImage
328.
- Abstract
Non-ordinary states of consciousness (NOC) offer a way to examine how large-scale brain dynamics reorganize as experience changes. We studied a participant able to reliably enter a self-induced NOC state characterized by vivid imagery, altered bodily perception, and a sense of unity. Across 20 fMRI sessions, we measured functional connectivity in four conditions (Baseline, Transition, NOC, and Residual) and compared the results with a matched control group. During the Transition phase, connectivity became more variable, indicating a temporary destabilization of network organization. In the NOC state, inter-network connectivity decreased broadly, with visual cortex showing reduced coupling to auditory, sensorimotor, orbitofrontal,... (More)
Non-ordinary states of consciousness (NOC) offer a way to examine how large-scale brain dynamics reorganize as experience changes. We studied a participant able to reliably enter a self-induced NOC state characterized by vivid imagery, altered bodily perception, and a sense of unity. Across 20 fMRI sessions, we measured functional connectivity in four conditions (Baseline, Transition, NOC, and Residual) and compared the results with a matched control group. During the Transition phase, connectivity became more variable, indicating a temporary destabilization of network organization. In the NOC state, inter-network connectivity decreased broadly, with visual cortex showing reduced coupling to auditory, sensorimotor, orbitofrontal, thalamic, and cerebellar regions, and the somatomotor-dorsal network disengaging from auditory and language cortices, paralleling the reported visual phenomena and changes in bodily experience. In contrast, frontoparietal and salience networks showed increased coupling with precuneus/posterior cingulate, multimodal temporal cortex, and cerebellar hubs, in agreement with subjective reports of sustained inward-directed attention and stable absorption. Entropy and complexity analyses revealed systematic shifts that tracked the experiential sequence and returned to baseline in the Residual condition. This single-case study brings together something uncommon: controlled experimentation, voluntary induction of NOC states, and rich phenomenological data. Taken together, these elements offer a strong foundation for neurophenomenological research and illustrate why pairing structured paradigms with lived experience is useful for understanding non-ordinary states of consciousness.
(Less)
- author
- Della Bella, Gabriel
; Picatto, Agustina Velez
; Galván Rial, Dante Sebastián
; Cukier, Sebastián
; Foa Torres, Gustavo
; Catanzariti, Magaly
; Mateos, Diego
; Lamberti, Pedro
; Cardeña, Etzel
LU
and Barttfeld, Pablo
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-03
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Connectivity, fMRI, Non-ordinary states of consciousness, Single case
- in
- NeuroImage
- volume
- 328
- article number
- 121784
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:41651089
- scopus:105029921507
- ISSN
- 1053-8119
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121784
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- d941c417-9c58-4f9b-884e-69c51e3797e6
- date added to LUP
- 2026-04-17 13:59:21
- date last changed
- 2026-06-26 20:50:29
@article{d941c417-9c58-4f9b-884e-69c51e3797e6,
abstract = {{<p>Non-ordinary states of consciousness (NOC) offer a way to examine how large-scale brain dynamics reorganize as experience changes. We studied a participant able to reliably enter a self-induced NOC state characterized by vivid imagery, altered bodily perception, and a sense of unity. Across 20 fMRI sessions, we measured functional connectivity in four conditions (Baseline, Transition, NOC, and Residual) and compared the results with a matched control group. During the Transition phase, connectivity became more variable, indicating a temporary destabilization of network organization. In the NOC state, inter-network connectivity decreased broadly, with visual cortex showing reduced coupling to auditory, sensorimotor, orbitofrontal, thalamic, and cerebellar regions, and the somatomotor-dorsal network disengaging from auditory and language cortices, paralleling the reported visual phenomena and changes in bodily experience. In contrast, frontoparietal and salience networks showed increased coupling with precuneus/posterior cingulate, multimodal temporal cortex, and cerebellar hubs, in agreement with subjective reports of sustained inward-directed attention and stable absorption. Entropy and complexity analyses revealed systematic shifts that tracked the experiential sequence and returned to baseline in the Residual condition. This single-case study brings together something uncommon: controlled experimentation, voluntary induction of NOC states, and rich phenomenological data. Taken together, these elements offer a strong foundation for neurophenomenological research and illustrate why pairing structured paradigms with lived experience is useful for understanding non-ordinary states of consciousness.</p>}},
author = {{Della Bella, Gabriel and Picatto, Agustina Velez and Galván Rial, Dante Sebastián and Cukier, Sebastián and Foa Torres, Gustavo and Catanzariti, Magaly and Mateos, Diego and Lamberti, Pedro and Cardeña, Etzel and Barttfeld, Pablo}},
issn = {{1053-8119}},
keywords = {{Connectivity; fMRI; Non-ordinary states of consciousness; Single case}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{NeuroImage}},
title = {{The neurophenomenology of a self-induced transcendental visionary state : A case study}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121784}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121784}},
volume = {{328}},
year = {{2026}},
}