Harle, Regan; (2025) Unravelling the Language of the Mind: Exploring the Intersection of Language, Consciousness, and Wellbeing through the Lens of Psychedelics. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

This thesis explores the neural correlates of language processing and its relationship to wellbeing, followed by an investigation into how N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) alters brain activity related to language processing. The initial focus is on understanding how different wellbeing-related word categories (e.g., cognitive, emotional, social) are processed across the brain. Using neuroimaging data from the Naturalistic Neuroimaging Database (NNDb), the research provides support for the idea that language processing is not confined to static "language centres" but involves a distributed network of regions, including those responsible for emotional regulation, social cognition, and self-referential thought. A Support Vector Machine (SVM) model was used to predict wellbeing based on neural responses to these language stimuli. Furthermore, through meta-analyses of all neuroimaging psychedelic and ketamine studies, the second chapter provides a comprehensive overview of how language processing mediates psychedelic-induced changes in conscious experience. The analysis shows that psychedelics induce alterations in conscious experience by disrupting neural networks responsible for language processing, suggesting that these networks play a key role in shaping subjective consciousness. Furthermore, the UNITy study investigates brain activity as participants watch a movie in an fMRI scanner, similar to the NNDb. These effects were further validated using the previously developed SVM model which predicted wellbeing outcomes based on changes in neural activity patterns when processing the chosen word categories. The results align with Jeremy Skipper's HOLISTIC theory, which posits that language is not merely a localised cognitive function but a multi-modal process that draws on sensory, motor, and emotional networks. The research demonstrates that both language processing and psychedelic experiences involve distributed neural systems, offering new perspectives on how language shapes consciousness and how psychedelics modulate these processes to promote neuroplasticity and psychological wellbeing. This work contributes to the broader understanding of how language, consciousness, and psychedelics interact, with important implications for the future development of psychedelic-assisted aid for mental health disorders.

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