European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology
January 1, 2023
Lucas Oliveira Maia, Dimitri Daldegan-Bueno, Isabel Wießner et al.
46 citations
Ayahuasca shows therapeutic potential for depression and substance use disorders, with growing preliminary evidence for grief, eating disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, personality disorders, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, and severe physical illnesses like cancer and chronic conditions. Long-term regular use does not appear detrimental and may benefit individual and collective health. The evidence for depression and substance use disorders is most consistent, while other conditions represent promising targets requiring further rigorous investigation.
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).
Current topics in behavioral neurosciences
January 1, 2022
Fernanda Palhano-Fontes, Bruno Lobão Soares, Nicole Leite Galvão-Coelho et al.
25 citations
Ayahuasca, a psychedelic brew containing DMT and MAOIs, shows rapid antidepressant effects in clinical trials. Evidence from open and placebo-controlled studies indicates significant improvement starting as early as one day after administration. This article reviews the history, pharmacology, clinical trials, and behavioral markers of ayahuasca's antidepressant properties.
Psychopharmacology
June 1, 2022
Isabel Wießner, Marcelo Falchi, Fernanda Palhano-Fontes et al.
22 citations
LSD alters the stream of thought in multiple ways, increasing chaos, meaning, and abstractness at different times after ingestion. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study with 24 healthy participants, 50 μg LSD compared to placebo induced facets of mind-wandering labeled 'chaos' (discontinuity of mind, decreased sleepiness and planning), 'meaning' (deep thoughts), and 'sensation' (thoughts about odors and sounds). LSD also increased free association for abstract words, reflecting an 'abstract flow.' Chaos was strongest from 2 to 6 hours after dosing, meaning from 2 to 4 hours, sensation at 2 hours, and abstract flow at 4 hours. The findings suggest a late therapeutic window around 4 hours for psycholytic therapy.
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.
Frontiers in psychiatry
January 1, 2022
Otto Simonsson, José Carlos Bouso, Florian Kurth et al.
6 citations
The corpus callosum, a brain structure connecting the two hemispheres, was thicker in the isthmus region among 22 ayahuasca users compared to 22 matched controls. A positive correlation was observed between callosal thickness in the rostral body and the number of past ayahuasca sessions, though neither finding survived correction for multiple comparisons. No brain region was thicker in controls than in ayahuasca users, and no region was negatively linked to ayahuasca use. This provides preliminary evidence of an association between ayahuasca use and callosal structure, but replication with larger samples and longitudinal designs is needed.
Scientific reports
November 10, 2023
Lucas Cruz, Bheatrix Bienemann, Fernanda Palhano-Fontes et al.
3 citations
Ayahuasca, a psychoactive brew used as an entheogen for centuries, is being investigated as a treatment for clinical disorders. This study analyzed open-ended descriptions from nine people with treatment-resistant depression and twenty healthy controls after their first ayahuasca experience. Using quantitative textual analysis, five clusters emerged: altered consciousness, cognitive changes, somatic alterations, auditory experiences, and visual content. People with depression reported more aversive bodily reactions. The findings align with known psychedelic experience patterns and may guide therapeutic use of ayahuasca.
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.
Functional & integrative genomics
December 30, 2024
Vitor Trinca, Saura R Silva, João V A Almeida et al.
The plastid genome of Mimosa tenuiflora (Jurema-Preta) is 165,639 base pairs long with a typical quadripartite structure and 130 protein-coding genes. Its mitochondrial genome is 617,839 base pairs, contains 107 protein-coding genes, and shows complex structural rearrangements from large repeats, including transferred plastid genes and sequences from non-retroviral RNA mitoviruses. Comparative analysis across Fabaceae species indicates limited conservation, highlighting the dynamic evolution of plant mitochondrial genomes. Phylogenetic placement confirms M. tenuiflora within Caesalpinioideae, closely related to M. pigra and M. pudica. The genomic characterization provides insights for evolutionary studies, population genetics, and potential ethnopharmacological applications.