Culture, medicine and psychiatry
June 1, 2023
José Carlos Bouso, Genís Ona, Maja Kohek et al.
8 citations
Hallucinations are not exclusively tied to psychopathology; they also occur in healthy individuals and, in certain contexts such as those induced by hallucinogenic drugs, can improve mental health. Historical, epidemiological, and scientific evidence suggests hallucinations are a common phenomenon that can be functional and beneficial. The authors argue that hallucinations can provide a privileged route to understanding the mind and the world, a shift that could impact drug policy, civil law, psychiatry, and reduce stigma around mental disorders.
Preprints.org
January 24, 2019
Genís Ona, José Carlos Bouso
8 citations
preprint
The current crisis in psychopharmacology has deep historical roots and requires innovative approaches. The therapeutic use of psychedelic drugs offers a promising and integrative treatment with enduring effects for mental health problems.
European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology
August 1, 2024
Oscar Soto-Angona, Adriana Fortea, Lydia Fortea et al.
7 citations
A scoping review of 16 human and 11 animal studies suggests that classic psychedelics may not increase seizure risk in healthy individuals or animals when used alone, but concomitant use of other substances like kambo or lithium could raise that risk. The evidence is heterogeneous and lacks sufficient external validity, so conclusions should be interpreted cautiously. The review also outlines possible neurobiological mechanisms and future research directions.
Qeios
April 27, 2020
Genís Ona, José Carlos Bouso
7 citations
Psychiatry faces major challenges, as many mental disorders still lack effective treatments despite recent innovations. The therapeutic use of psychedelic drugs within psychotherapeutic settings offers a promising, integrative treatment that produces enduring effects for patients. Psychedelic psychotherapy combines complex pharmacological action with enhanced psychotherapeutic interventions, representing an important innovation in the field.
Psychoactives
March 20, 2023
Guilherme Henrique de Morais Santos, Lucas Silva Rodrigues, Juliana Mendes Rocha et al.
6 citations
Ayahuasca, a serotoninergic hallucinogen used in Amazonian traditional medicine, alters brain connectivity in ways similar to other psychedelics. A review of 11 neuroimaging studies found that acute consumption expands local neural networks while reducing overall brain connectivity, with notable effects on the Default Mode Network suggesting short-term neuromodulation. In chronic users, anatomical changes in the cingulate cortex have been reported. The findings are preliminary and more research is needed.
Advances in experimental medicine and biology
January 1, 2021
José Carlos Bouso, Genís Ona, Rafael G Dos Santos et al.
6 citations
Research on psychedelic drugs for therapeutic use has grown, driven by the need for innovative psychiatric treatments. Clinical trials have assessed psilocybin and ayahuasca for mental disorders including major depression. This chapter reviews the history and terminology of psychedelic research, analyzes recent clinical trials administering these drugs to patients, describes neurobiological mechanisms that may underlie therapeutic effects, and notes that psychedelics are commonly used as adjuncts to psychotherapy. The chapter concludes by suggesting future challenges for this field.
Translational psychiatry
January 19, 2024
Judit Biosca-Brull, Genís Ona, Lineth Alarcón-franco et al.
5 citations
A single oral dose of ibogaine significantly alters gene expression in the frontal cortex of mice four hours after administration. Genes involved in hormonal pathways and synaptogenesis were upregulated, while genes associated with apoptosis and endosomal transport were downregulated. Validation via qPCR did not fully confirm the hormonal pathway changes, possibly due to the specific brain region sampled. Female mice showed more pronounced gene expression changes than males, and high variability was observed across individual animals. These findings advance understanding of ibogaine's molecular actions and highlight sex differences that may influence its effects.
Revista de Antropología Social
November 20, 2023
Maja Kohek, José Carlos Bouso, Genís Ona
3 citations
A woman who migrated from the Brazilian rainforest to Barcelona seventeen years ago became a healer working with ayahuasca, kambó (frog venom), and sananga (herbal eye drops). The case study examines authenticity, communitas, and self-care. Shamanism, religion, and health are fluid and dynamic processes that interact with and absorb influences from their surroundings. Exploring compatibilities between beliefs and practices from different traditions mixed with biomedical approaches broadens understanding of relationships among religion or spirituality, health, and well-being. The article concludes by proposing a contribution from medical anthropology to challenges posed by the globalization of ayahuasca practices.
Quaderns de l Institut Català d Antropologia
October 24, 2023
Genís Ona
2 citations
In Brazil, ayahuasca is used in clinical settings without the psychotherapeutic models that typically guide subjective effects in other countries. This creates a complex intersection between clinical use, Indigenous and religious community practices, and the dominant therapeutic frameworks built around hallucinogens. The text discusses how these different uses and relationships interact, highlighting the unique Brazilian context where no specific psychotherapeutic orientations or techniques for directing subjective experience are employed.
Natural product research
May 1, 2023
Genís Ona, Maja Kohek, José Carlos Bouso
2 citations
The authors argue that the emerging field of psychedelic research can benefit from natural product research. They outline specific research topics involving hallucinogens that directly connect with broader natural product research.
Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science
July 1, 2025
Oscar Soto-Angona, Amanda Rodríguez‐Urrutia, Josep Antoni Ramos‐quiroga et al.
1 citation
The text is a fragment that only acknowledges funding sources and contains no coherent description of a study, argument, or findings. It cannot be summarized.
International Clinical Psychopharmacology
June 27, 2024
Alberto Sainz-Cort, Marta Martín-Islas, Daniel Jiménez‐garrido et al.
1 citation
Cannabis users show deficient emotional recognition and a dampened reaction to negative stimuli, according to a study validating the Spanish version of the Multifaceted Empathy Test (MET). A group of 116 participants from a Cannabis Social Club completed the MET and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) while under the effects of cannabis and were compared to 86 university students as a control group. The MET cognitive empathy scale showed low internal consistency, while the emotional empathy scale showed high internal consistency. Overall emotional empathy scores were similar between groups, but the cannabis group scored lower with negative stimuli. These results confirm deficient emotional recognition in cannabis users and a dampened reaction to negative stimuli for the first time.
Natural product research
June 2, 2026
Genís Ona, Cristina Llagostera, Oscar Alvarez et al.
Psilocybin from Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms shows therapeutic potential, but current research focuses only on isolated psilocybin, ignoring the whole mushroom's broader pharmacology and cultural use. This perspective advocates for studying standardized whole-mushroom extracts. Preclinical studies comparing whole extracts with pure psilocybin reveal enhanced or distinct effects on synaptic proteins, metabolomic profiles, and behavioral outcomes in models of depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Whole extracts may also enable more affordable and equitable treatment models than high-cost synthetic psilocybin. The article argues for urgent exploration of whole-mushroom therapeutics to base psychedelic medicine on a full spectrum of evidence.
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
March 9, 2026
Genís Ona, Sidsel Marie
Ibogaine, a psychedelic alkaloid, has a history before its 1960s anti-addictive discovery that involves colonial appropriation, early pharmaceutical research, and commodification. During French colonial rule, ibogaine-containing plants from the Congo Basin were classified and appropriated. In 1900, ibogaine was isolated from Tabernanthe iboga, leading to early French scientific research on its effects. Throughout the 20th century, ibogaine was commercialized in several pharmaceutical products, including Dragées Nyrdahl, Grains des Anémiques, Syséros, Viris Lucet, Ibobiose, and Iperton. Evidence shows ibogaine was used in Mexico in 1913 for substance use disorder, challenging the dominant account of its anti-addictive discovery. Indigenous medicinal knowledge from the Congo Basin critically shaped subsequent scientific understanding.
Frontiers in psychiatry
January 1, 2025
Jonathan David, José Carlos Bouso, Maja Kohek et al.
correction
A correction was issued for a published article: the average number of ayahuasca uses in the ayahuasca group was revised from 69.4 to 55.7 (standard deviation 82.1). Participants had used ayahuasca 5.2 times more than psilocybin, 4.6 times more than mescaline, and 5.6 times more than LSD. The authors state the error does not alter the scientific conclusions.
Repositorio Universidad de Caldas
July 1, 2018
Genís Ona
A review of current research on the therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances identifies notable limitations and biases in both observational studies and clinical trials. The authors conclude that current research on psychedelic therapy contains significant errors that may lead to confusion about its efficacy and safety in therapeutic contexts.