Journal of Psychopharmacology
February 1, 2022
Isabel Wießner, Marcelo Falchi-Carvalho, Lucas Oliveira Maia et al.
43 citations
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study gave 24 healthy volunteers 50 micrograms of LSD or an inactive placebo and tested creativity near the drug's peak using multiple tasks. LSD changed creativity in three ways: it increased novelty, surprise, originality, and semantic distances (pattern break); decreased utility, convergent thinking, and marginally elaboration (disorganization); and increased symbolic thinking and ambiguity (meaning). The findings suggest LSD shifts cognitive resources away from normal patterns toward new ones, and that LSD-induced symbolic thinking might aid psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology
May 1, 2025
Marcelo Falchi-Carvalho, Fernanda Palhano-Fontes, Isabel Wießner et al.
35 citations
Vaporized DMT, a short-acting psychedelic, rapidly reduced depression symptoms in patients with treatment-resistant depression. In an open-label trial, 14 patients received inhaled DMT at 15 mg and then 60 mg. The treatment was safe and well-tolerated, with no serious adverse events. By day 7, depression scores on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale dropped by an average of 21.14 points. The response rate was 85.71%, and the remission rate was 57.14%, with effects lasting up to 3 months. Suicidal ideation also decreased significantly, with no severe ideation the day after dosing. Vaporized DMT offers a non-invasive, time-efficient alternative to longer-acting psychedelics and traditional antidepressants.
European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology
March 1, 2024
Marcelo Falchi-Carvalho, Isabel Wießner, Sérgio Ruschi B Silva et al.
25 citations
Inhaled N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) produces dose-dependent increases in the intensity, positive valence, and perceptual effects of subjective experiences, with only mild, transient, and self-limited increases in blood pressure and heart rate. No changes in safety blood biomarkers or serious adverse events occurred. The acute effects last around 10 minutes, offering a potentially cost- and time-effective alternative to longer-acting oral psychedelics for clinical use in mood disorders. This open-label, single-ascending, fixed-order, dose-response study in 27 healthy volunteers tested five dose pairs (5/20 mg through 15/60 mg) of inhaled DMT (BMND01 candidate).
Psychedelic medicine (New Rochelle, N.Y.)
March 1, 2025
Marcelo Falchi-Carvalho, Handersson Barros, Raynara Bolcont et al.
16 citations
Vaporized N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) produced rapid and sustained antidepressant effects in a small open-label trial of six people with treatment-resistant depression. Depression severity, measured by the Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), decreased significantly from the first day through one month after dosing. The average MADRS score dropped by 22 points at day 7 and 17 points at one month. By day 7, 83.33% of patients responded to treatment and 66.67% achieved remission; at one month, 66.67% maintained response and 50% maintained remission. The short-acting, noninvasive vaporized route may improve accessibility to psychedelic treatments.
European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology
June 17, 2025
Isabel Wießner, Marcelo Falchi-Carvalho, Sophie Laborde et al.
7 citations
Inhaled vaporized DMT (60 mg) produces profound altered states of consciousness and is safe and well-tolerated in healthy adults. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial with 25 participants, DMT significantly increased subjective intensity and most measures on the 5D-ASC, HRS, and MEQ questionnaires compared to an active placebo (0.6 mg DMT). Physiological parameters such as blood pressure and heart rate rose transiently within safe limits. Adverse events were predominantly mild and temporary. Biochemical changes were not clinically relevant. Physiological increases correlated with subjective experiences, suggesting a link between bodily responses and the psychedelic state.
Journal of affective disorders
January 15, 2025
Fernanda Palhano-Fontes, Patricia Cavalcanti-Ribeiro, Kaike Thiê da Costa Gonçalves et al.
7 citations
Eight weekly subcutaneous injections of esketamine produced a 52.17% response rate and a 34.78% remission rate in 30 patients with treatment-resistant depression, with improvements in self-reported depressive symptoms sustained for up to six months. The open-label trial lacked a control group and had a small sample size, limiting causal interpretation and generalizability. Subcutaneous administration offers a cheaper, easier alternative to intravenous or intranasal routes with comparable plasma levels and fewer side effects.
European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience
October 28, 2024
Kaike Thiê da Costa Gonçalves, Vagner Deuel O de Tavares, Maria Luiza de Morais Barros et al.
5 citations
A systematic review of 29 studies examined whether the psychoactive effects of ketamine are linked to its therapeutic benefits for psychiatric disorders. About half of the studies (51.72%) found a positive relationship between ketamine-induced altered states of consciousness and clinical outcomes, while 44.83% found no link, and one study found a negative association. For mood disorders like major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, 48% of studies showed a positive relationship and 48% showed none. All three studies on substance use disorder reported a positive correlation. The authors conclude the relationship remains uncertain due to high variability across studies.
medRxiv
January 4, 2024
Marcelo Falchi-Carvalho, Handersson Barros, Raynara Bolcont et al.
5 citations
preprint
A single-day session of vaporized DMT, a psychedelic compound found in ayahuasca, rapidly reduced depression symptoms in six patients with treatment-resistant depression. Depression scores on two standard rating scales dropped substantially by day one and remained lower for one month. By day seven, 83% of patients responded to treatment and 67% achieved remission; at one month, 67% maintained response and 50% maintained remission. The non-invasive, short-acting nature of DMT may make psychedelic treatments more accessible in interventional psychiatry.
Progress in brain research
January 1, 2025
Handersson Barros, Marcelo Falchi-Carvalho, Lucas O Maia et al.
2 citations
Psychedelic experiences, particularly those from DMT, are often intense and hard to put into words, which complicates therapeutic integration. In a Phase I clinical trial, participants created mandalas as a nonverbal expressive tool. The mandalas helped them symbolically express subjective content that was difficult to verbalize, thereby supporting integration. Despite this promise, expressive tools remain underused in psychedelic clinical protocols. Including art may enhance therapeutic benefits by deepening understanding and meaning of the experience.
Journal of clinical psychopharmacology
Vagner Deuel de O Tavares, Kaike Thiê da Costa Gonçalves, Maria Luiza de Morais Barros et al.
1 citation
A meta-analysis of eleven studies found no significant correlation between the psychoactive (psychomimetic) effects of ketamine and clinical outcomes in mental illness, including depression. The overall correlation was r = 0.06, and for depression specifically r = 0.03, both non-significant. Sub-analyses accounting for patient disorders, intravenous administration, assessment instruments, and timing also yielded no significant findings. High heterogeneity was present. The analysis suggests that altered states of consciousness during ketamine sessions are not directly linked to clinical outcomes, but the limited number of studies and heterogeneity make this conclusion preliminary.
Journal of Psychopharmacology
July 8, 2026
Raynara Bolcont, Fernanda Palhano-Fontes, Handersson Barros et al.
Inhaled DMT, combined with psychological support, is associated with reduced state anxiety up to one day after administration in both healthy individuals and patients with treatment-resistant depression. Healthy volunteers reported increased life satisfaction up to 14 days. Patients showed increased life satisfaction after 12 months and sustained improvements in quality of life over that period, including physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment, as well as inner peace and hope and optimism. The study is limited by an open-label design, lack of placebo control, and modest sample size.
medRxiv Preprint Server
May 31, 2026
Yves Martins Varela, Patrícia Cavalcanti-Ribeiro, Geovan Menezes de Sousa et al.
preprint
Ketamine rapidly reduces depression symptoms in treatment-resistant depression, but its effects may be enhanced by combining it with psychotherapy. The drug induces neuroplasticity and psychological openness, which could help patients process emotions, restructure thoughts, and maintain improvements. However, research has not yet thoroughly examined whether adding structured psychotherapy to ketamine treatment provides additional benefits.