Biomedicines
February 25, 2026
Alice Melani, Giorgia Papini, Marco Bonaso et al.
Psychedelics are gaining renewed scientific interest as breakthrough therapies for mental disorders, with ayahuasca and its active component DMT showing particular promise. DMT acts primarily as a serotonin 5-HT2A receptor partial agonist, while 5-MeO-DMT has higher affinity for 5-HT1A receptors; both foster neuroplasticity and reorganize brain networks involved in perception, cognition, and mood. Current evidence offers an optimistic outlook for treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder, with four phase II studies of 5-MeO-DMT and one of DMT for TRD, plus two phase II studies of DMT fumarate for MDD. Evidence for other mental disorders remains preliminary.
Current Addiction Reports
February 21, 2026
Dráulio B. Araújo, Lucas O. Maia, Tiago Arruda-Sanchez et al.
Preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that ayahuasca, a traditional Amazonian brew containing DMT and β-carbolines, may treat depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use, eating, and personality disorders. Preclinical studies indicate enhanced neuroplasticity, reduced inflammation, and oxidative stress. Human neuroimaging shows decreased default mode network activity, increased functional connectivity and brain entropy, suggesting a flexible neural state and modulation of pathways related to neuroplasticity, inflammation, and stress response. The evidence is mainly observational, with users reporting emotional breakthroughs, increased self-awareness, and mystical experiences tied to therapeutic outcomes. Ayahuasca appears to target core psychological and neurobiological processes across disorders but requires caution in psychotic or bipolar individuals and should be administered with support. Randomized trials are needed to confirm efficacy and safety.
Translational Psychiatry
February 19, 2026
Luís Carlos Pereira, Wigínio Gabriel Lira-Bandeira, Andréa Silva Medeiros-Bandeira et al.
Chronic stress from social isolation in juvenile male marmosets reduces neuronal volume in the somatosensory cortex, a brain region implicated in depression. Ayahuasca, a psychedelic brew, given before and during isolation prevented this reduction, with treated animals showing neuronal volumes similar to non-stressed controls. Trends also suggested preserved cortical structure, though differences in neuronal density and overall cortical volume were not statistically significant. These results indicate ayahuasca may protect against stress-induced cortical atrophy and support further research into its therapeutic potential for stress-related psychiatric disorders, especially in adolescents.
Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences
February 18, 2026
Gabriella de Souza Gomes Ribeiro, Beatriz Aparecida Passos Bismara Paranhos, Fabiane Dörr et al.
1 citation
Even modest increases in DMT exposure from ayahuasca may intensify serotonergic effects in individuals taking SSRI antidepressants, suggesting a clinically relevant interaction. The study provides a mechanistic and quantitative framework for assessing interaction risks between ayahuasca alkaloids and SSRIs, supporting clinical decision-making and harm-reduction strategies where controlled drug-drug interaction studies are not feasible.
Pharos Journal of Theology
February 14, 2026
Manat Kanagatov, Tatyana Seryozhkina, Zukhra Ismagambetova et al.
In Turkic Kazakh culture, altered states of consciousness (ASC) were a normal, regulated way of interacting with a multi-layered reality, functioning as tools for diagnosis, sacred knowledge, and social order. Shamans acted as mediators between sacred and social realms, integrating personal experience with collective knowledge. Ritual spaces and objects held stable, myth-based symbolism. Under modern conditions, the shamanic tradition has shifted toward individualized psycho-spiritual practice while keeping its core symbolic codes. Archetypal shamanic structures persist in Kazakh folklore, cultural memory, and identity. The study synthesizes philosophy, ethnology, archaeology, and symbolic analysis to interpret these sacred practices and their contemporary transformations.
REDD – Revista Espaço de Diálogo e Desconexão
February 10, 2026
Julia Dias Milani
The book Visões Multidisciplinares da Ayahuasca (2023) provides a comprehensive analysis of ayahuasca use across historical, cultural, therapeutic, legal, and scientific dimensions, situated within the contemporary 'psychedelic renaissance.' Organized into three parts, it covers botanical, ecological, and religious aspects, therapeutic potentials in mental health and problematic drug use, and experimental, preclinical, neuroscientific, and metabolomic studies. The work's main contribution is its interdisciplinary approach, articulating diverse fields to offer a plural overview of ayahuasca. However, the anthropological analysis could have more deeply explored traditional knowledge and Indigenous perspectives amid the drink's global expansion. The book marks an academic milestone while opening space for future intercultural and ethical investigations.
Multimodality & Society
February 9, 2026
Desiree Foerster
Virtual reality can represent mystical-type experiences, such as those from psychedelics or psychosis, by using atmosphere as a central mechanism. Drawing on new materialism and atmosphere research, this article argues that VR's sensory modalities and virtual environments translate invisible mental states into tangible, immersive experiences. Analysis of the VR works Manic VR and Ayahuasca – Kosmik Journey shows how medium-specific affordances construct affectively charged atmospheres that evoke liminal consciousness. These works form a spectrum of non-dualist, relational aesthetics, from restrained attunement to deep somatic absorption, demonstrating how VR enables felt experiences that resonate with the represented mental states.
European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology
February 1, 2026
Isabel Werle, Francisco S Guimarães, Rafael G Dos Santos et al.
Ayahuasca, a brew containing the psychedelic DMT, helps rodents overcome persistent and generalized fear memories by boosting brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling in the infralimbic (IL) region of the medial prefrontal cortex. In rats exposed to stress or high-intensity fear conditioning, repeated ayahuasca (0.3 mg/kg DMT) enhanced extinction learning and its retention, and reduced fear generalization. These effects were blocked by infusing an anti-BDNF antibody or a TrkB receptor antagonist into the IL cortex. The reduction in fear generalization depended on BDNF in females but not males. The findings suggest psychedelics may aid in treating difficult-to-extinguish trauma memories, such as those in PTSD.