LSD reconfigures cortical dynamics through faster brain rhythms and increased fractal dimension.

LSD increases alpha and beta peak frequencies and decreases oscillatory power while enhancing neural complexity and fractality in specific cortical networks.

• Why it matters: Understanding how psychedelics alter brain dynamics is crucial for insights into consciousness and potential therapeutic applications, yet the electrophysiological mechanisms remain unclear.
• What they did: Researchers used source-resolved MEG, spectral parameterization, complexity metrics, and machine learning to compare LSD and placebo conditions, with and without music, focusing on neural oscillations and aperiodic activity.
• The result: LSD induces distinct neural signatures, including peak-frequency shifts, flatter spectral slopes, and increased fractality, mainly affecting sensory, language, emotion, and imagery networks, enabling differentiation of its neural effects from other psychedelics.