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Breathwork Really Can Induce an Altered State of Consciousness, Experiment Shows : ScienceAlert (opens in a new tab)

sciencealert.com · 2026-10-18

Short answerEvidenceSource

Short answer

Mostly supported

Mostly supported.

The claims we could check match the study, but some claims were not covered by the evidence reviewed.

  • 5 supported
  • 1 not covered

Checked against the study summary. The full text wasn't available, so some details couldn't be settled either way.

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1
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NewsLink checks it

Mostly supported

Every claim we could check holds up. Five of six claims match the study. This overall rating is based only on the claims we could check. One claim the study doesn't address.

  • 5 supported
  • 1 not covered
Open claim evidence
3
Source paper

Source layer

The 3 papers the story cites

Source study separated from background citations.

The research anchor for the report.

Then inspect each claim

Evidence layer

Claim by claim

Each claim gets a verdict. Expand it to see the evidence directly below.

6 claims in this story

Showing all 6 claimsChoose a verdict to focus the list.

Claim 1 of 6Not coveredHigh ventilation breathwork can induce altered states of consciousness, including psychedelic-like experiences such as perceptual alterations, emotional release, ego dissolution, and a sense of unity.View evidenceHide evidence

Why this verdict

The abstract-level profile supports that subjective altered-state intensity was measured with 5D-ASC and that HVB is studied as a way to induce altered states, but it does not verify the specific headline examples listed here—perceptual alterations, emotional release, ego dissolution, or unity. Because this is a headline-prominence, unhedged claim with specific phenomenology not available in the abstract profile, it is not verifiable at this depth.

1

Study evidence

Greater decreases in DMN functional connectivity (pre → post HVB) predicted higher 5D-ASC scores in analyses that applied global signal regression (β = -4.88, p < 0.05).β = -4.88, p < 0.05

“Acute psychotropic effects were rated using an online Likert scale, ASC intensity was assessed immediately after breathwork with the 5-Dimensional Altered States of Consciousness (5D-ASC) scale.”
Claim 2 of 6SupportedIn a new study published in Progress in Neuropsychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, researchers found evidence that could explain how these effects emerge.View evidenceHide evidence

Why this verdict

The paper profile describes evidence relevant to possible mechanisms: a large acute CBF reduction during HVB, resting-state DMN analyses, and exploratory brain–experience associations. The story frames this as evidence that 'could' explain effects, which is appropriately speculative given the abstract-level evidence and the exploratory/null components.

1

Study evidence

High-ventilation breathwork produced a large acute global reduction in grey-matter cerebral blood flow (CBF) during the interval of maximal subjective effects, accompanied by increased heart and respiratory rate.45.5% reduction (29.81 ± 7.58 vs. 16.24 ± 4.35 ml/100 g/min); t(29) = -10.69, p < 0.001

“Thirty experienced HVB practitioners (mean age 44.97 ± 11.80 years) underwent perfusion and resting-state fMRI”
2

Study evidence

Default mode network (DMN) functional connectivity did not change significantly at the group level (pre vs post HVB).

“Thirty experienced HVB practitioners ... underwent perfusion and resting-state fMRI”
Claim 3 of 6SupportedDuring MRI scanning, 30 healthy adults experienced a profound reduction in gray-matter cerebral blood flow during intensive circular breathing, corresponding to a 45.5 percent drop from baseline, along with increased heart and respiratory rate.View evidenceHide evidence

As stated45.5 percent drop

Why this verdict

The abstract profile directly reports n=30 participants undergoing ASL perfusion MRI at baseline and during maximal subjective effects, with a 45.5% global grey-matter CBF reduction and increased heart and respiratory rate. The profile specifies experienced HVB practitioners; the claim’s 'healthy adults' wording is not independently detailed in the abstract profile, but the central CBF and physiology statement is supported.

1

Study evidence

High-ventilation breathwork produced a large acute global reduction in grey-matter cerebral blood flow (CBF) during the interval of maximal subjective effects, accompanied by increased heart and respiratory rate.45.5% reduction (29.81 ± 7.58 vs. 16.24 ± 4.35 ml/100 g/min); t(29) = -10.69, p < 0.001

“Thirty experienced HVB practitioners (mean age 44.97 ± 11.80 years) underwent perfusion and resting-state fMRI”
Claim 4 of 6SupportedAt the group level, the researchers found no significant overall change in default mode network functional connectivity, though people reporting more intense altered states showed some preliminary evidence of greater DMN changes depending on data processing.View evidenceHide evidence

Why this verdict

The profile reports no significant group-level DMN functional-connectivity change. It also reports an exploratory association between greater DMN FC decreases and higher 5D-ASC ratings only when global signal regression was used, with the association absent without GSR. The story’s hedging and processing-dependence caveat match the abstract evidence.

1

Study evidence

Default mode network (DMN) functional connectivity did not change significantly at the group level (pre vs post HVB).

“Thirty experienced HVB practitioners ... underwent perfusion and resting-state fMRI”
2

Study evidence

Greater decreases in DMN functional connectivity (pre → post HVB) predicted higher 5D-ASC scores in analyses that applied global signal regression (β = -4.88, p < 0.05).β = -4.88, p < 0.05

“Acute psychotropic effects were rated using an online Likert scale, ASC intensity was assessed immediately after breathwork with the 5-Dimensional Altered States of Consciousness (5D-ASC) scale.”
Claim 5 of 6SupportedThe researchers caution that the study involved only 30 experienced breathwork practitioners, had no control group, and further research is needed to confirm the findings.View evidenceHide evidence

Why this verdict

The paper profile identifies a modest sample of 30 experienced HVB practitioners, a within-subject baseline comparator with no non-breathwork control condition reported, and exploratory/limited evidence requiring confirmation. The story’s caution is consistent with these limitations.

1

Study evidence

High-ventilation breathwork produced a large acute global reduction in grey-matter cerebral blood flow (CBF) during the interval of maximal subjective effects, accompanied by increased heart and respiratory rate.45.5% reduction (29.81 ± 7.58 vs. 16.24 ± 4.35 ml/100 g/min); t(29) = -10.69, p < 0.001

“Thirty experienced HVB practitioners (mean age 44.97 ± 11.80 years) underwent perfusion and resting-state fMRI”
2

Study evidence

Default mode network (DMN) functional connectivity did not change significantly at the group level (pre vs post HVB).

“Thirty experienced HVB practitioners ... underwent perfusion and resting-state fMRI”
Claim 6 of 6SupportedThe researchers suggest that breathwork-induced hypoperfusion may create physiological conditions for altered consciousness, while changes in brain communication may more directly shape the depth of the experience.View evidenceHide evidence

Why this verdict

The story presents this as a speculative researcher interpretation rather than a demonstrated causal mechanism. The profile supports the ingredients for that interpretation: marked hypoperfusion, no robust group-level DMN change, a GSR-dependent exploratory DMN–ASC association, and null CBF associations with 5D-ASC. The claim remains acceptable because it is hedged, though the evidence for brain-communication effects shaping experience is explicitly preliminary.

1

Study evidence

High-ventilation breathwork produced a large acute global reduction in grey-matter cerebral blood flow (CBF) during the interval of maximal subjective effects, accompanied by increased heart and respiratory rate.45.5% reduction (29.81 ± 7.58 vs. 16.24 ± 4.35 ml/100 g/min); t(29) = -10.69, p < 0.001

“Thirty experienced HVB practitioners (mean age 44.97 ± 11.80 years) underwent perfusion and resting-state fMRI”
2

Study evidence

Default mode network (DMN) functional connectivity did not change significantly at the group level (pre vs post HVB).

“Thirty experienced HVB practitioners ... underwent perfusion and resting-state fMRI”
Then look for missing context

Context layer

What the story left out

Important study details the story did not include.

  • ASL perfusion MRI has limited temporal resolution for rapidly changing breathwork physiology, and the abstract profile does not specify timing relative to breath cycles or peaks beyond maximal subjective effects.

    This abstract-level limitation could affect interpretation of the measured CBF dynamics, but it is not included among the story’s caveats.

    From Within-subject acute ASL perfusion fMRI during HVB

7 things the story did carry across
  • HVB was studied in 30 experienced practitioners using within-subject perfusion MRI during baseline and maximal subjective effects.
  • The strongest abstract-level finding was a large acute global grey-matter CBF reduction of 45.5%, accompanied by increased heart and respiratory rate.
  • Default mode network functional connectivity did not change significantly at the group level after HVB.
  • The DMN–altered-state association was exploratory and dependent on global signal regression; it was not significant without that preprocessing choice.
  • CBF reductions were not associated with ΔDMN-FC or with 5D-ASC altered-state ratings.
  • The study lacked a non-breathwork control group and relied on within-subject baseline comparison.
  • External validity is limited because the sample consisted of experienced HVB practitioners rather than novices or a broader population.
Then read the study layer

Study layer

Study at a glance

Scan the study first. Expand only the parts you want to inspect.

Pieces of work

3

Evidence read

study summary

Lead result

human in vivo

1Lead resulthuman in vivoQuantify acute cerebrovascular effects (cerebral blood flow changes and autonomic physiology) during high ventilation breathwork (HVB) in experienced practitioners.Within-subject acute ASL perfusion fMRI during HVBExpand

In plain English

Within-subject perfusion fMRI (ASL) in 30 experienced high-ventilation breathwork practitioners found a large acute global grey-matter cerebral blood flow (CBF) reduction (~45.5%) during the interval of maximal subjective effects, accompanied by increases in heart rate and respiratory rate.

Key findings

  • High-ventilation breathwork produced a large acute global reduction in grey-matter cerebral blood flow (CBF) during the interval of maximal subjective effects, accompanied by increased heart and respiratory rate.45.5% reduction (29.81 ± 7.58 vs. 16.24 ± 4.35 ml/100 g/min); t(29) = -10.69, p < 0.001
“Thirty experienced HVB practitioners (mean age 44.97 ± 11.80 years) underwent perfusion and resting-state fMRI”
What this piece can’t prove
  • Sample limited to experienced HVB practitioners, potentially limiting external validity.
  • Exploratory resting-state findings were sensitive to preprocessing choices (global signal regression), reducing confidence in those secondary associations.

3 further details could not be confirmed from the summary.

2human in vivoAssess post-acute resting-state network changes (default mode network functional connectivity) following HVB.within-subject pre-post resting-state fMRIExpand

In plain English

Within-subject resting-state fMRI in 30 experienced HVB practitioners found no significant group-level change in default mode network (DMN) functional connectivity following high-ventilation breathwork (HVB). In exploratory analyses, larger decreases in DMN FC predicted higher 5D-ASC ratings only when global signal regression (GSR) was applied; this association was not significant without GSR. Cerebral blood flow reductions were not associated with DMN FC changes or 5D-ASC.

Key findings

  • Default mode network (DMN) functional connectivity did not change significantly at the group level (pre vs post HVB).
“Thirty experienced HVB practitioners ... underwent perfusion and resting-state fMRI”
What this piece can’t prove
  • Abstract does not report full statistical model specification or details on multiple-comparison correction for FC analyses.

1 further detail could not be confirmed from the summary.

3human in vivoTest brain–experience associations: whether CBF changes and/or DMN functional connectivity changes predict subjective altered-state intensity (5D-ASC), including sensitivity to global signal regression.exploratory regression of brain–behavior associationsExpand

In plain English

Exploratory regression analyses tested whether change in default mode network (DMN) functional connectivity (pre → post high-ventilation breathwork, HVB) and reductions in cerebral blood flow (CBF) predicted subjective altered-state intensity (5D-ASC). In 30 experienced HVB practitioners, greater decreases in DMN FC predicted higher 5D-ASC scores only when global signal regression (GSR) was applied (β = -4.88, p < 0.05); the association was not significant without GSR (p = 0.75). CBF reductions were reported as not associated with either ΔDMN-FC or 5D-ASC.

Key findings

  • Greater decreases in DMN functional connectivity (pre → post HVB) predicted higher 5D-ASC scores in analyses that applied global signal regression (β = -4.88, p < 0.05).β = -4.88, p < 0.05
  • Reductions in global grey-matter cerebral blood flow (CBF) were not associated with either ΔDMN-FC or 5D-ASC ratings.
“Acute psychotropic effects were rated using an online Likert scale, ASC intensity was assessed immediately after breathwork with the 5-Dimensional Altered States of Consciousness (5D-ASC) scale.”
What this piece can’t prove
  • Sample size is modest (n = 30), which may affect power to detect brain–behavior associations and the stability of regression estimates.
  • Abstract does not report full model specifications (covariates, multiple comparison correction) or effect size/statistics for the null CBF associations.
  • Dependence of the DMN–ASC association on GSR raises concerns about generalizability and the influence of preprocessing decisions on results.

1 further detail could not be confirmed from the summary.

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Method layer

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Papers considered

The selected paper, plus nearby candidates.

Crossref, Europe PMC, PubMed · 16 candidate papers

Candidate

High on your own supply - Is endogenous DMT the key to altered states of consciousness during breathwork?

2025 · Crossref

Source (opens in a new tab)
Candidate

Cerebral haemodynamic correlates of altered consciousness states induced by High-ventilation breathwork

ISMRM Annual Meeting · Crossref

Source (opens in a new tab)

And 10 more candidates considered.