Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2024
Maria Helha Fernandes-Nascimento, André Brooking Negrão, Karine Viana-Ferreira et al.
7 citations
Ibogaine, a natural psychoactive drug, has been studied for treating substance use disorders since the mid-1960s. A scientometric analysis of publications from 1993 to 2022 found 1523 references, with linear growth in the first and third decades and lower average publications in 1993-2002 than in later decades. Researchers from five continents contributed, with US and Canadian academic centers most productive. Early keywords included cocaine, tobacco, morphine, and alcohol; opioids and psychedelics emerged in the third decade. Only one preclinical meta-analysis and no human meta-analyses were found. Research trends are widespread and growing, underscoring the need for rigorous clinical trials on ibogaine's efficacy and safety.
Psychiatry research
July 5, 2025
Maria Helha Fernandes-Nascimento, Priscila Weber, André Brooking Negrão
4 citations
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 double-blind randomized controlled trials involving 682 adults with substance use disorders, anxiety, or depression found that LSD produced a small but statistically significant reduction in substance use disorder symptoms (standardized mean difference = 0.19). No heterogeneity was observed for that outcome. However, 45% of the trials did not report adverse events, and serious adverse events were noted in only one study. The effectiveness of LSD varied by mental disorder, and most trials were conducted in the 1960s and 1970s, highlighting the need for more high-quality contemporary research.
Psychedelic Medicine
January 21, 2025
Maria Helha Fernandes-Nascimento, Karine Viana-Ferreira, André Brooking Negrão
2 citations
A bibliometric analysis of 853 publications from 1963 to 2023 shows that research on psilocybin for mental disorders has grown rapidly, with a 52% increase between 2016 and 2023. Publications come from five continents but are concentrated in high-development countries like the United States and United Kingdom. Depression appears most frequently in keyword analyses. Meta-analyses indicate psilocybin is effective for depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders, though the authors call for more randomized clinical trials to confirm safe and effective use.
Psicologia e Saúde em Debate
October 18, 2024
Maria Helha Fernandes-Nascimento, Karine Viana-Ferreira, Eline Nicole Assad et al.
A bibliometric analysis of 4,235 publications from 91 countries found rapidly growing global research into classic psychedelics for treating mental disorders. LSD led in number of studies, and the United States was the main collaborative hub. Regression models showed a strong to very strong correlation between year progression and publication increase for LSD, mescaline, DMT/ayahuasca, and psilocybin, with R² values ranging from 0.75 to 0.96. The findings indicate rising international interest, particularly in LSD and psilocybin research.
Research Square
September 8, 2022
Maria Helha Fernandes-Nascimento, André Brooking Negrão, Karine Viana-Ferreira et al.
A bibliometric analysis of publications on ibogaine for treating substance-related disorders from 1991 to 2020 found that research output grew steadily, with an increase of 5.1 publications per year between 1991 and 2000. The subsequent two decades showed continued but fluctuating publication volumes, with the United States being the most prominent contributor. The analysis suggests that despite variations over time, research on ibogaine persists and points toward future directions for public health interventions.