Research Square • Sean Viña
People who use psychedelics are less likely to seek formal mental health care, including medication and outpatient treatment, even when experiencing high psychological distress. Analyzing data from over 458,000 participants in a national US survey between 2010 and 2018, the study found that as distress levels increase, psychedelic users become even less inclined to use formal care compared to non-users. This suggests a heightened risk of self-medication as psychedelics become more culturally and legally accepted.
medRxiv • Klemens Egger, Daniel Meling, Firuze Polat et al.
preprint
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled pharmaco-fMRI study, 40 meditation practitioners on a three-day retreat received either placebo or buccal DMT-harmine (120 mg each). Meditation alone increased network segregation across several resting-state networks, while DMT-harmine increased functional connectivity within the visual network and between visual and attention networks. Between-group differences showed increased connectivity between visual and salience networks in the DMT-harmine group. No prolonged cortical gradient disruption was observed, indicating a return to typical brain organization shortly after the experience. Meditation reduced connectivity between networks, whereas DMT-harmine increased within- and between-network connectivity, revealing distinct neural mechanisms.
Mika Turkia
preprint
Spiritual attacks reported during Amazonian ayahuasca ceremonies are often dismissed as imaginary, but this article argues they are real subjective experiences involving visions or bodily sensations felt as harmful interventions from an external hostile party. The author proposes that these attacks can be understood as mental representations of fundamental disagreements between two parties, with defenses consisting of methods to maintain stability and resolve negative emotions. This conceptualization aims to improve understanding of a rarely documented and difficult-to-conceptualize phenomenon.
Kenneth Shinozuka, Burton J. Tabaac, Alejandro Arenas et al.
preprint
DMT, the psychedelic in ayahuasca, is being studied for depression. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, ayahuasca led to remission in 36% of patients with treatment-resistant depression within one week. A Phase IIa trial reported that 57% of patients with major depressive disorder experienced remission 12 weeks after a single dose of DMT. DMT is naturally produced in the body, but likely at insignificant levels. The idea that DMT is released during death remains unproven. Ayahuasca can cause temporary vomiting but appears generally safe. More research is needed on DMT's therapeutic and biological roles.
Experimental neurology • September 1, 2026 • Javier Calleja-Conde, Víctor Echeverry-Alzate, Marina Sanz-sancristobal et al.
In a preclinical model of Parkinson's disease, the compound N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), the main psychoactive ingredient in ayahuasca, reduced neuroinflammation and preserved neurons in the nigrostriatal pathway. Treated animals also showed improvements in behavior. These results suggest DMT may have disease-modifying potential for Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder marked by loss of dopaminergic neurons and chronic inflammation, for which current treatments only relieve symptoms.
Psychopharmacology • July 14, 2026 • Helena D Aicher, Joëlle Dornbierer, Luzia Caflisch et al.
A combination of harmine and DMT, the active ingredients in ayahuasca, reduces feelings of embarrassment and shame in healthy men. In a randomized trial with 28 participants, those who received the combination reported significantly less embarrassment when listening to recordings of their own singing compared to those who received a placebo. The treatment also lowered overall shame scores. Harmine alone did not produce these effects. The findings suggest that this compound may help treat psychiatric disorders where negative self-focused emotions play a key role.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) • July 8, 2026 • Schüller Thomas
Two works examine the appropriation of Indigenous healing practices. The first, 'Die enteignete Heilerin' (The Expropriated Healer), focuses on the Mazatec shaman Maria Sabina, whose use of psilocybin mushrooms was co-opted by outsiders. The second, 'Vier Enteignungen, ein Muster' (Four Expropriations, One Pattern), compares the appropriation of peyote, ayahuasca, salvia, and iboga, arguing that a common pattern of colonial and capitalist expropriation underlies these cases.
Braz J Psychiatry • July 7, 2026
The article argues that while ayahuasca has shown promise in early depression research, the field must move beyond initial enthusiasm to address methodological challenges and ethical considerations. It calls for rigorous, well-controlled studies to determine efficacy and safety, and emphasizes the need to understand the specific mechanisms of action. The authors suggest that future research should focus on long-term outcomes, potential risks, and the integration of ayahuasca into broader therapeutic contexts, rather than simply celebrating its potential.
Mexican Journal of Medical Research ICSA • July 5, 2026 • Omar Azuara-antonio, Erika Rubí de la Cruz-elizaldeb, José Eduardo Carmona-rodriguez et al.
Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms are the primary natural source of psilocybin in the Americas and have a long history of use in Mesoamerican rituals for inducing altered states of consciousness. After ingestion, psilocybin is metabolized into psilocin, a potent serotonergic agonist acting on 5-HT receptors and releasing glutamate. The Aztecs called them Teonanácatl, or 'flesh of the gods.' Interest revived with R. Gordon Wasson's 1950s ethnobotany and now includes research on therapeutic applications for depression, suggesting sustainable relief with fewer side effects than conventional treatments. This combination of ancient ceremonial use and therapeutic potential is prompting reevaluation of their Schedule I legal status, with promising results for major depressive disorder and other psychiatric conditions.
Longevity • July 5, 2026 • Mark Haden, Birgitta Woods, Tina Woods et al.
A narrative review examines the convergence of psychedelic research and longevity science, exploring how psychedelic-assisted interventions may influence aging trajectories through both direct biological and indirect psychosocial pathways. The review discusses mechanisms such as enhanced neuroplasticity, modulation of immune and inflammatory signaling, stress-response recalibration, and sustained improvements in psychological well-being and social connectedness, which overlap with pathways influencing biological aging. Safety issues and research priorities are also discussed, including integrating biomarkers, functional outcomes, and longitudinal study designs, and considering whether psychedelic interventions may function as systems-level catalysts for healthier aging.