European psychiatry
March 1, 2023
E. Prades, A. Torres, P. Díez et al.
1 citation
A 43-year-old woman experienced a psychotic episode two days after her third ayahuasca session in a ritual context. Symptoms included loss of consciousness, convulsions, weakness and numbness on the right side, and delusions of electromagnetic fields draining her life force. She required four days in intensive care, then was hospitalized and treated with risperidone 1.5 mg, leading to complete symptom remission. The case aligns with other reports of ayahuasca-induced psychosis, though with less intensity and duration. The rising use of ayahuasca in non-controlled and recreational settings warrants clinical awareness.
European psychiatry
June 1, 2022
G. Simões, S. Jesús, R. Silva
1 citation
Ayahuasca, a psychotropic plant used by indigenous Amazonians, shows promise for treating depression. A review of six studies found that ayahuasca use was associated with reductions in depression scale scores, significant antidepressant effects, and improved grief symptoms. It also increased introspection, positive mood, self-acceptance, empathy, openness, and emotional processing. However, the evidence comes from small, variable studies, including retrospective and prospective observational studies, a meta-analysis, and a narrative review. The authors conclude that the results are promising but require further investigation in controlled trials with larger samples to better assess clinical effects, safety, and short- and long-term outcomes.
European psychiatry
April 1, 2025
T. Fernandes, J. G. Freire, M. C. Pais et al.
Only nine studies, published between 1954 and 1967, have examined psychedelic-assisted therapy for functional neurological disorders (FND). Across 22 patients, 69% (18 individuals) showed at least some recovery, but the studies were low quality, often lacking control groups and valid outcome measures. There is insufficient evidence to support the efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapy for FND. The discussion continues because abnormalities in default mode network activity have been reported in FND, and some proposed benefits of psychedelics may relate to their action on that network.
European psychiatry
June 1, 2022
E. Frecska, A. Kazai, P. Bokor et al.
After a long pause since the 1970 Controlled Substances Act, research on psychedelic compounds for therapy has revived. Two traditional psychological approaches have emerged: psycholytic therapy, using low to moderate doses with psychoanalytic talk therapy to release emotional content, and psychedelic therapy, using high doses for an overwhelming experience followed by integration sessions. It remains unclear which is better, and they are often mixed as psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. To provide anchor points and warn of limitations, the authors draw on anthropological observations of cultures with long-standing psychedelic use, where administration occurs in a tight community with shared cosmology (set) and ritual context (setting)—conditions difficult to replicate in Western traditions.
European psychiatry
June 1, 2022
D. Khalifa, L. Rashed, A. Shamseldeen et al.
Combining ketamine with social isolation in male albino rats produces long-lasting behavioral and neurochemical deficits that resemble schizophrenia, offering a potential model for studying the disorder's multifactorial origins. Rats given ketamine and isolated showed fewer line crossings in an open field test, fewer open arm entries in an elevated plus maze, and lower spontaneous alternation in a Y-maze compared to controls and ketamine-treated rats housed socially. The combined intervention also increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and decreased glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels in the hippocampus and cortex, indicating oxidative stress. Adding aripiprazole helped model both positive and negative symptoms.