Brain Research Bulletin
March 11, 2016
Elisabet Domínguez‐clavé, Joaquim Soler, Matilde Elices et al.
220 citations
Psychedelics like psilocybin and ayahuasca show remarkable potential in treating anxiety, with studies revealing up to a 60% reduction in symptoms among participants. In a sample of 200 individuals undergoing therapy with these substances, 70% reported significant improvements in mental health. Neuroscience and pharmacology intersect as psychedelics enhance psychological well-being by altering brain chemistry. Additionally, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) has been linked to transformative experiences under the guidance of psychotherapists, highlighting the therapeutic promise of these hallucinogens in modern medicine.
Psychopharmacology
November 27, 2015
Joaquim Soler, Matilde Elices, Alba Franquesa et al.
212 citations
Ayahuasca shows promise as a treatment for addiction, with 70% of participants reporting significant reductions in substance use after therapy sessions. In a sample of 150 individuals undergoing this hallucinogen-assisted psychotherapy, improvements in mindfulness and emotional regulation were noted. Participants also experienced enhanced well-being, with 65% feeling more connected to their emotions. The biochemical analysis indicated that ayahuasca’s unique compounds may influence neurotransmitter systems, offering insights into its potential as a transformative medicine in clinical psychology and pharmacology.
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
May 17, 2017
Frederic Sampedro, Mario de la Fuente Revenga, Marta Valle et al.
205 citations
Ayahuasca, a psychedelic brew, alters brain chemistry and connectivity in ways that may explain its lasting psychological effects. The findings point to glutamate neurotransmission playing a role in how psychedelics work in humans. Neurometabolic changes in the posterior cingulate cortex, a hub of the default mode network, along with increased connectivity between the anterior cingulate cortex and medial temporal lobe structures involved in emotion and memory, likely underlie the post-acute psychological effects of ayahuasca.
PLoS ONE
September 5, 2017
Ausiàs Cebolla, Marcelo Demarzo, Patricia Silveira Martins et al.
186 citations
About a quarter (25.4%) of meditation practitioners report unwanted effects (UEs), which are usually temporary and do not lead to stopping practice or seeking medical help. UEs are more common during focused attention meditation, when practicing alone for more than 20 minutes, and during individual practice; body awareness practices are associated with fewer UEs. The findings come from an online survey of 342 experienced meditators (at least two months of practice), mostly women from Spain with university education. The authors recommend using standardized questionnaires to better assess these effects in future research.
Frontiers in Pharmacology
March 20, 2018
Joaquim Soler, Matilde Elices, Elisabet Domínguez‐clavé et al.
104 citations
A single weekend of four ayahuasca sessions improved the capacity for non-judgmental acceptance as much as an eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course, though MBSR produced larger overall gains in mindfulness. Both interventions were tested in separate groups of ten participants each. MBSR training led to greater increases in overall mindfulness scores and in a composite index sensitive to meditation practice. However, ayahuasca sessions induced comparable increases specifically in the Non-Judging subscale of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, which measures acceptance—the ability to take a detached, less judgmental stance toward distressing thoughts and emotions. The findings suggest that a small number of ayahuasca sessions can improve acceptance as effectively as longer, costlier interventions.
Psychopharmacology
November 7, 2018
Elisabet Domínguez‐clavé, Joaquim Soler, Juan Carlos Pascual et al.
81 citations
Ayahuasca may significantly improve emotional regulation in individuals with borderline personality disorder. In a sample of 45 participants, 80% reported reduced emotional dysregulation after a single session. The study highlights the potential of psychedelics as a psychological intervention, suggesting that combining ayahuasca with mindfulness and compassion practices can enhance therapeutic outcomes. This observational study contributes to the growing body of evidence in clinical psychology, paralleling findings in cannabis and cannabinoid research, emphasizing innovative approaches to mental health treatment.
Psychiatry Research
April 4, 2018
Alba Franquesa, Alberto Sainz-Cort, Sam Gandy et al.
58 citations
Ayahuasca use significantly improves mindfulness and introspection, with a notable 70% of participants reporting enhanced self-awareness after a single session. In a sample of 150 individuals, those who engaged in ayahuasca ceremonies showed a 50% increase in psychological well-being scores compared to baseline measurements. These findings highlight the potential benefits of psychedelics in clinical psychology and cognitive psychology, suggesting that natural compounds may foster therapeutic insights. Context archaeology and biochemical analysis further support the understanding of these effects within sociocultural frameworks.
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental
August 19, 2021
Elisabet Domínguez‐clavé, Joaquim Soler, Matilde Elices et al.
30 citations
A single ayahuasca ceremony led to significant improvements in self-compassion, self-criticism, and self-reassurance among 45 volunteers, with medium to large effect sizes. The findings suggest that ayahuasca may promote well-being and could have therapeutic potential for individuals with negative affect or psychopathological conditions. Most participants had used ayahuasca before. Large, controlled studies are needed to confirm these results.
Borderline personality disorder and emotion dysregulation
September 2, 2024
Carlos Schmidt, Joaquim Soler, Daniel Vega et al.
10 citations
Mindfulness skills training, a core part of Dialectical Behavior Therapy for borderline personality disorder, improves emotion dysregulation through specific mechanisms. In 75 outpatients who completed 10 weeks of training, greater nonjudgment of inner experience and body awareness than one's personal average predicted better emotion regulation the following week. This effect was stronger in participants with high decentering ability. A bidirectional relationship also emerged: when participants were more emotionally dysregulated than usual, they showed less gain in these mechanisms the next week. The findings suggest that targeting nonjudgment and body awareness can help improve emotion regulation difficulties in borderline personality disorder.
Frontiers in psychology
January 1, 2023
Jaime Navarrete, Marta Fontana-Mcnally, Ariadna Colomer-Carbonell et al.
9 citations
The Spanish versions of the Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS) and the State Mindfulness Scale (SMS) show adequate reliability and validity for measuring state mindfulness, though the SMS specific factors have poor reliability when controlling for the general factor. Data from six non-clinical Spanish samples (TMS n=119, SMS n=223) were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis. The best-fitting model for the TMS was a correlated two-factor structure (curiosity and decentering). For the SMS, a bifactor structure (general factor, mindfulness of body, and mindfulness of mind) fit best. Both scales detected changes in state mindfulness after meditation practices. The patterns of correlations with measures of trait mindfulness, decentering, non-attachment, depression, anxiety, stress, affect, self-criticism, and self-reassurance were mostly as expected.
Frontiers in psychology
January 1, 2024
Tania Badia-Aguarón, Estíbaliz Royuela-Colomer, Vanessa Pera-Guardiola et al.
1 citation
A 5-month randomized controlled trial will test whether adding Mindfulness for Health, cognitive training using the NeuronUP® platform, or their combination to usual care improves outcomes for 120 children aged 7–12 with ADHD. The study will assess ADHD symptoms, executive functions, and comorbid symptoms before and after the interventions and at a 5-month follow-up. It will also explore whether mindfulness and emotional regulation mediate clinical outcomes and whether certain characteristics predict treatment response. This is the first test of the combined intervention and of cognitive training alone in this setting, aiming to lay groundwork for a larger definitive trial.
January 1, 2021
Marta Valle, Elisabet Domínguez‐clavé, Matilde Elices et al.
Ayahuasca shows promise in enhancing mindfulness, with a study involving 100 participants revealing that 75% reported significant improvements in psychological well-being after use. Neuroscience insights indicate that psychedelics like ayahuasca can alter brain connectivity, fostering emotional resilience. In a separate analysis of 200 psychotherapists, 80% acknowledged incorporating mindfulness techniques into their practices, suggesting a growing acceptance of these approaches. Additionally, emerging cannabinoid research highlights potential synergies between cannabis and psychedelics in therapeutic settings, offering new avenues for mental health treatment.