PLoS ONE
September 30, 2015
Eduardo Ekman Schenberg, João Felipe Morel Alexandre, Renato Filev et al.
115 citations
Ayahuasca, an Amazonian plant-based brew used ritually in Brazil and increasingly worldwide, produces a two-phase brain effect. Electroencephalogram recordings and blood measurements of the brew's compounds (DMT, harmine, harmaline, tetrahydroharmine, and their metabolites) showed that 50 minutes after ingestion, alpha brainwave power (8–13 Hz) decreased, mostly in the left parieto-occipital cortex. Between 75 and 125 minutes, slow- and fast-gamma power (30–50 and 50–100 Hz, respectively) increased across multiple cortical regions, including left centro-parieto-occipital, left fronto-temporal, and right frontal areas. These brain changes were significantly linked to circulating levels of ayahuasca's active chemicals. The authors interpret these effects within cognitive and emotional frameworks relevant to ritual use and potential therapeutic applications.
Human Brain Mapping
November 6, 2013
Patrícia Bado, Annerose Engel, Ricardo de Oliveira‐souza et al.
49 citations
Mind-wandering, which occupies much of daily life, often involves autobiographical recall and self-reflection. Brain imaging shows that a set of regions called the default mode network (DMN) is active during such spontaneous thought, but the roles of different cognitive components within the DMN were unclear. Using fMRI, researchers compared brain activity during emotional autobiographical memory recall, neutral memory recall, and resting wakefulness, with a subtraction task as a control. Both emotional recall and resting state activated shared DMN regions compared to the control.
Frontiers in public health
January 1, 2025
Mateus Torres-Cruz, Mariana Moura-Alves, Renata Pereira Lima et al.
1 citation
A low-cost 12-week program combining socioemotional skills training with moderate physical activity reduced depression scores and negative emotions among adults living in Paraisópolis, one of Brazil's largest favelas, during the final period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants in the intervention group showed an average decrease of 3.2 points on the DASS-21 depression scale and a 2.7-point reduction in negative affect on the PANAS scale, while the waiting-list control group showed no such changes. The intervention also lowered systolic blood pressure by an average of 7.0 mmHg in hypertensive or pre-hypertensive participants and improved physical endurance and flexibility. Qualitative interviews indicated the program alleviated anxiety and sadness and boosted physical vitality.