Frontiers in psychology
January 1, 2020
Sergio A Mota-Rolim, Kelly Bulkeley, Stephany Campanelli et al.
31 citations
Religions have long recognized lucid dreaming (LD) as an important conscious state, predating modern scientific study by millennia. Hindu texts over 2,000 years old divide consciousness into waking, dreaming (including LD), and deep sleep. Tibetan Buddhists practice Dream Yoga to recognize dreams, overcome fears, and control dream content. Islam regards LD as a valuable mental state for mystical experiences. Christian theologian Augustine described LD as a preview of the afterlife. Spiritism in the nineteenth century linked LD to out-of-body experiences. Abrahamic religions view dreams as communication with God, while Indian traditions cultivate self-awareness through LD induction techniques. These historical religious insights can inform current scientific research on LD phenomenology.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
December 5, 2022
Geovan Menezes de Sousa, Vagner Deuel de Oliveira Tavares, Ana Cecília de Menezes Galvão et al.
14 citations
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 72 participants, ayahuasca's effects on depression-related biomarkers were examined two days after dosing. Larger reductions in depressive symptoms during the session were linked to higher serum cortisol levels in patients with treatment-resistant depression. Smaller changes in salivary cortisol during ayahuasca use were associated with higher brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in patients who showed greater clinical improvement in depressive symptoms. No moderating effects were found for the cortisol awakening response, interleukin-6, or C-reactive protein in patients, nor for any biomarker in healthy controls or the placebo group. The findings suggest that acute emotional and physiological responses during ayahuasca sessions may influence key biomarkers of depression.
Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience
January 1, 2022
Maria Lara Porpino de Meiroz Grilo, Geovan Menezes de Sousa, Lilían Andrade Carlos de Mendonça et al.
12 citations
Repeated ayahuasca administration before and during social isolation prevented depressive-like behaviors and cortisol alterations in common marmosets. Animals given ayahuasca showed higher cortisol reactivity and fecal cortisol levels similar to family-group controls, no signs of anhedonia, and no increase in chronic stress-related behaviors, unlike isolated animals that received no intervention. The findings suggest ayahuasca promotes resilient responses and may have a prophylactic action against depression.
Neuropharmacology
July 1, 2026
Anne Nathalia De Sousa-Silva, Clarissa de Almeida Moura, Carina Ioná De Oliveira Torres et al.
1 citation
In helpless mice, the psychedelic compound N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) produced rapid and long-lasting antidepressant effects comparable to the fast-acting antidepressant S-ketamine. DMT at 10 mg/kg reversed escape deficits and reduced immobility in several behavioral tests, with effects lasting up to 8 days, whereas S-ketamine's effects lasted up to 30 hours. DMT also showed anxiolytic-like effects, reversing stress-induced hypolocomotion and increasing open-arm exploration, while S-ketamine did not. Neither drug altered behavior in the novelty-suppressed feeding test. These findings suggest DMT has transdiagnostic therapeutic potential for stress-related disorders.