Ayahuasca partially preserves striatal integrity in juvenile non-human primates exposed to chronic stress: evidence from stereological evaluation.
Frontiers in neuroanatomy January 1, 2025 Wigínio Gabriel de Lira-Bandeira, Lílian Andrade Carlos de Mendonça Batista, Andréa Silva de Medeiros Bandeira et al. 4 citations
Chronic social isolation in marmosets leads to significant shrinkage of neurons in the striatum, a brain region that integrates emotion, motivation, and movement. Ayahuasca, a psychoactive plant-based brew, given before and during isolation, prevented this neuronal volume loss. The caudate and putamen of socially isolated animals treated with ayahuasca showed neuron sizes comparable to those of family-housed controls, while untreated isolated animals had markedly smaller neurons. The findings suggest ayahuasca may act as a prophylactic buffer against stress-induced structural brain changes.