Revista de Neuro-Psiquiatría
December 21, 2017
Diego Neyra-Ontaneda
10 citations
Ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic brew made from Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis, contains N,N-dimethyltryptamine and β-carbolines. Despite causing intense acute somatic, cognitive, and subjective alterations, adverse effects after intoxication are rarely reported. This article describes a 40-year-old man from the Peruvian Amazon who developed a psychotic episode after a ritual ayahuasca session; the episode resolved favorably with specific treatment. Although such episodes are infrequent, they can be severe and associated with violent behavior. Users with a history of psychosis, mania, or substance abuse appear to be at higher risk. The literature on adverse reactions, including psychotic behavior from ayahuasca use, is scarce and inconclusive, so similar cases should be carefully evaluated and appropriately disseminated.
Revista de Neuro-Psiquiatría
July 14, 2013
J. Mabit, J. Campos, J. Arce
10 citations
No Summary
Revista de Neuro-Psiquiatría
March 31, 2014
Daniel Rojas-Bolívar
6 citations
Ayahuasca is a vine from the Amazon used to prepare a psychoactive substance tied to the cosmology of Indigenous peoples, who regard it as a spiritual and medicinal plant for the visions and perception it induces. Laboratory research shows ayahuasca contains beta-carboline derivatives like harmine and tryptamine derivatives like N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), molecules involved in hallucinatory phenomena—visions of supernatural beings—along with alterations of self-consciousness described as a sensation of death and rebirth that can lead to spiritual ecstasy and well-being.
Revista de Neuro-Psiquiatría
November 2, 2022
Laura Alcantarilla, Enrique García-alcarria, Celia Almonacid
3 citations
Ayahuasca, a plant-based hallucinogen traditionally used in ceremonial rites for spiritual or healing purposes, can alter consciousness and perception. Its use has persisted for centuries and now occurs in small groups focused on personal growth. Effects typically last a few hours and are self-limiting. This paper describes a clinical case of a patient who developed a manic episode with psychotic symptoms after experimental ayahuasca use. A systematic search of published cases of psychotic symptoms related to ayahuasca consumption was conducted. Experimentally, the link between ayahuasca and psychotic experiences is poorly understood, though the substance has a good safety profile in single administrations to healthy subjects.
Revista de Neuro-Psiquiatría
June 22, 2026
Liana Spytska
A systematic review of literature from 2018 to 2023 examined the therapeutic potential of hypnosis and meditation as non-pharmacological adjuncts for managing phobias and mental disorders. Hypnosis may alter cognitive and perceptual processing, reducing stress, pain, and anxiety symptoms, with neuroimaging studies indicating changes in brain regions involved in attention, emotion regulation, and pain perception. Mindfulness meditation has been linked to improvements in psychological resilience and emotional regulation, as well as structural brain changes related to cognitive and affective functions. Both practices show promise as complementary tools within cognitive behavioral frameworks, particularly for phobias, post-traumatic stress, and generalized anxiety, though further validation through randomized controlled trials is needed.