Regular ceremonial use of ayahuasca is associated with lower anxiety, less negative affect, higher intrinsic religiosity, and reduced past-month use of both licit and illicit substances compared to non-regular use. Regular users also reported lower general and physical quality of life. The study compared 101 regular users with 185 non-regular users in Brazil, finding no differences in lifetime drug use between groups after adjusting for sociodemographic factors.
Repeated daily ayahuasca administration over 30 days in male Wistar rats produced dose-dependent behavioral effects: a low dose (120 mg/kg) increased ambulation, while a very high dose (3600 mg/kg) decreased vertical exploration and reduced weight gain. The highest dose also increased c-Fos expression in the hippocampus and infralimbic cortex, indicating heightened neural activation in emotional processing and serotonergic pathways. The study does not support an anxiolytic effect of repeated ayahuasca in a novel anxiogenic environment but suggests low doses warrant further investigation. The absence of severe behavioral impairment reinforces ayahuasca's safety profile.
Interviews with nine Brazilian participants who took ayahuasca in neoshamanic ceremonies suggested that the experience helped reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Three themes emerged: motivations for seeking ayahuasca, strategies for strengthening psychological well-being afterward, and the perceived health benefits of the psychedelic experience itself. The ceremonial use of ayahuasca may offer a promising model of care, especially in communities with limited access to advanced medical treatment.