While research on altered states of consciousness has made considerable progress, much of the existing literature compares these states only to normative wakefulness. What remains largely underexplored is the direct comparison between different altered states themselves, particularly in terms of their subjective features and neurophysiological signatures.

This Research Topic invites contributions that systematically examine the phenomenal content and neural mechanisms across various altered states of consciousness - such as REM and NREM sleep, anesthesia, psychedelic experiences, meditative absorption, dissociative states, and minimally conscious states. By drawing comparisons between these states rather than treating them as separate from wakefulness alone, we aim to construct a more detailed and structured understanding of the dynamic landscape of conscious experience.

We are especially interested in studies that attempt to operationalize the qualitative differences in experience across states - e.g., the shifting narrative quality, visual vividness, agency, or sense of self - and map them onto measurable brain activity, such as oscillatory patterns, network connectivity, or signal diversity. Submissions may also explore the methodological challenges of measuring and validating subjective reports, propose theoretical accounts of why phenomenological differences arise between states or investigate which physiological mechanisms might underpin these differences.

We welcome Original Research, Reviews, Perspectives, and interdisciplinary contributions from neuroscience, psychology, psychiatry, and clinical research that help build a comparative framework for altered states of consciousness.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

- Empirical studies comparing phenomenal content across REM, NREM Stage 2, and NREM Stage 3 sleep

- Neural correlates of altered states: identifying shared vs. distinct biomarkers across consciousness states (e.g., oscillations, entropy, functional connectivity)

- Methodological innovations in measuring and validating self-reported experience in altered states

- Studies using neuroimaging, EEG, or intracranial recordings to differentiate between altered states of consciousness

- Theoretical models explaining phenomenological and physiological differences between altered states

- Comparative studies of pharmacologically induced states (e.g., psychedelics, anesthesia) and their neural and experiential profiles

- Investigations into sleep-related dissociation, lucid dreaming, or dreamless but conscious states (e.g., deep meditation or hypnagogia)

- Contributions that link altered states to neurodevelopmental or neuropsychiatric conditions involving atypical conscious experience

- Review or Opinion articles proposing frameworks for classifying altered states beyond the wakefulness baseline

- Studies using patients with disorders of consciousness (e.g. locked-in syndrome) to explore shared features across non-normative conscious states

By inviting research that contrasts and categorizes altered states of consciousness directly, this Research Topic seeks to advance our understanding of the structure, diversity, and boundaries of human consciousness in both health and pathology.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Comparing Altered States of Consciousness: Phenomenology, Physiology, and Neural Mechanisms