The Physiophenomenology Project aims at gaining an experimental control over physiological measures to probe their role in the alterations of consciousness.
Using brain and heart-computer interface, subjects will be trained through biofeedback to enhance and/or lower targeted physiological signatures of consciousness such as complexity metrics. The effects on subjective experience will be tested by the means of psychometric tests measuring the alteration of different dimensions of consciousness.
This novel approach moves beyond the classical identification of the physiological "correlates" of consciousness by directly intervening in their occurence, aiming to offer an open-ended manner to investigate the causal role of physiological measures in the modulation of conscious experience. This project is thus likely to provide important insights into the physiophenomenological bases of consciousness.
Using brain and heart-computer interface, subjects will be trained through biofeedback to enhance and/or lower targeted physiological signatures of consciousness such as complexity metrics. The effects on subjective experience will be tested by the means of psychometric tests measuring the alteration of different dimensions of consciousness.
This novel approach moves beyond the classical identification of the physiological "correlates" of consciousness by directly intervening in their occurence, aiming to offer an open-ended manner to investigate the causal role of physiological measures in the modulation of conscious experience. This project is thus likely to provide important insights into the physiophenomenological bases of consciousness.
Scientific Ingredients in a Nutshell:
|
Alterations of consciousness are reflected in physiological measures
From Sarasso et al. (2021) and Bartossek et al. (2021) |
Bioresponsive feedback
Material : - Online recording and extraction of EEG and ECG signals - Real-time closed-loop presentation of sensory feedback - Measures of agentivity and altered state consciousness Protocol : - Online computation of brain and cardiac complexity metrics - Comparison of real and sham neurofeedback conditions - Assessment of subjective dimensions affected by training |
|
Biofeedback induction of alterations of subjective experience
|
Training to voluntary (de)induce subjective experience
Outcomes : - Relate complexity measures to phenomenology - Voluntary control on brain and cardiac physiology - Identify the role of agency on consciousness modulation Application : - Non-pharmacological intervention on consciousness - Targeted cultivation of dimensions of consciousness - Control over subjective experiences for therapeutic use |
