Paradoxical relationship with psychedelics between glucose metabolism and blood flow

The effect of Psychedelics on glucose metabolism has been previously measured with PET Vollenweider1997 and shown to increase. Paradoxically, psychedelics decrease CBF to both cortical regions and subcortical regions. Carhart-Harris2012.

Possible explanations for this discrepancy include:

  • Long-half life of glucose radiotracer F-fluorodeoxyglucose (110min), while i.v psilocybin works on much shorter timescales.

In support of the inference that psychedelics decrease neuronal activity, recordings of local field potential in rats found broadband decreases in rs-LFP power after psilocybin, particularly in -power changes Palenicek2011, which correlate with changes in the BOLD Schmuel2008.


Psychedelics increase glucose metabolism and cerebral blood flow
Psychedelics decrease BOLD activity