Journal of Psychopharmacology
August 25, 2026
Wolfgang Emanuel Zürrer, Johann Liesner, David Brüschweiler et al.
, is a highly selective κ-opioid receptor agonist and a rare example of a κ-opioid receptor-mediated psychedelic drug. Preclinical work of salvinorin A has shown promising effects in neuropsychiatric animal models. However, human studies remain heterogeneous and fragmented, highlighting the need for synthesis. Thus, we conducted a systematic review to synthesize available human studies of...
Psychopharmacology
July 14, 2026
Helena Aicher, Joëlle Dornbierer, Luzia Caflisch et al.
Negative self-referential emotions such as embarrassment and shame play a key role in the psychopathology of psychiatric disorders but are often insufficiently addressed by standard treatments. Psychedelics such as ayahuasca - an Amazonian plant decoction containing the psychedelic N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and harmala alkaloids, have been proposed to positively modulate self-referential...
Psychedelics
June 28, 2026
Joost J. Breeksema, Ulf Bremberg, Jens H van Dalfsen et al.
The research, understanding, and implementation of psychedelic therapies is characterised by a layered complexity that arises from the dynamic interactions between pharmacological and extra-pharmacological factors, and the embeddedness of psychedelics within broader societal, legal, and regulatory systems ill-equipped to accommodate them. This complexity is compounded by an epistemic...
Universität Zürich, ZORA
June 1, 2026
Klemens Egger, Robert Bozsak, Helena Aicher et al.
Classical psychedelics such as N,N -dimethyltryptamine (DMT) modulate consciousness via serotonergic receptor agonism, and are increasingly investigated for their psychotherapeutic potential. When combined with the monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibitor harmine—mimicking the pharmacological profile of ayahuasca—oral DMT induces a psychedelic experience lasting 4–5 h. While some neuroimaging...
Journal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism : official journal of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism
June 1, 2026
Klemens Egger, Robert Bozsak, Helena Aicher et al.
Classical psychedelics such as N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) modulate consciousness via serotonergic receptor agonism, and are increasingly investigated for their psychotherapeutic potential. When combined with the monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibitor harmine-mimicking the pharmacological profile of ayahuasca-oral DMT induces a psychedelic experience lasting 4-5 h. While some neuroimaging...
Scientific Reports
March 18, 2026
Jonas T. T. Schlomberg, Daniel Meling, Robin Grylka et al.
The acute subjective effects (ASEs) of psychedelic substances are assumed to play a critical role for their therapeutic and well-being enhancing benefits. However, recent work voiced critique regarding the validity and adequacy of conventional measures and modalities utilized to study ASEs of psychedelics, and call for data-driven, unbiased, and experience-based research approaches. The...
Repository for Publications and Research Data (ETH Zurich)
2026
Klemens Egger, Robert Bozsak, Helena Aicher et al.
Classical psychedelics such as N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) modulate consciousness via serotonergic receptor agonism, and are increasingly investigated for their psychotherapeutic potential. When combined with the monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibitor harmine—mimicking the pharmacological profile of ayahuasca—oral DMT induces a psychedelic experience lasting 4–5 h. While some neuroimaging...
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
December 9, 2025
Maria Niedernhuber, Dila Suay, Michael J Mueller et al.
1 citation
Abstract Classic serotonergic psychedelics are potent modulators of conscious awareness, yet the principles governing their effects on the temporal dynamics of brain activity remain unclear. Dominant theories propose that psychedelics increase the signal diversity and metastability of neural states, but whether this reflects a simple randomization of activity or a more structured reorganization...
Translational Psychiatry
October 10, 2025
Wolfgang Emanuel Zürrer, Lionel Wettstein, Helena Aicher et al.
3 citations
Salvinorin A, the main psychoactive compound of Salvia divinorum, is a potent and selective kappa opioid receptor agonist. While human clinical trials remain limited, animal studies suggest potential therapeutic applications in neurological and psychiatric disorders. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to synthesize these preclinical findings, addressing three questions: (1) What is...
Universität Zürich, ZORA
October 10, 2025
Wolfgang Emanuel Zürrer, Lionel Wettstein, Helena Aicher et al.
Background: Salvinorin A, the main psychoactive compound of Salvia divinorum, is a potent and selective kappa opioid receptor agonist. While human clinical trials remain limited, animal studies suggest potential therapeutic applications in neurological and psychiatric disorders. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to synthesize these preclinical findings, addressing three questions:...
Imaging Neurosci (Camb)
September 29, 2025
Klemens Egger, Daniel Meling, Firuze Polat et al.
1 citation
Meditation, psychedelics, and brain connectivity: A randomized controlled resting-state fMRI study of N,N-dimethyltryptamine and harmine in a meditation retreat.
Universität Zürich, ZORA
September 29, 2025
Klemens Egger, Daniel Meling, Firuze Polat et al.
Both meditation and psychedelics are widely studied for their therapeutic potential in mental health. Recent research suggests potential synergies between mindfulness practice and psychedelics, though empirical studies have primarily focused on psilocybin. This study investigates the distinct and combined effects of mindfulness practice and an ayahuasca-inspired formulation containing...
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
August 16, 2025
Dila Suay, Helena Aicher, Berit Singer et al.
While psychedelics are often claimed to enhance creativity, their precise effects on distinct stages of creative cognition remain poorly understood. This study investigated the acute effects of an ayahuasca-inspired formulation combining N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and harmine (DMT/HAR), as well as harmine alone (HAR), on micro-level (divergent/convergent thinking) and macro-level (creative...
Universität Zürich, ZORA
August 16, 2025
Dila Suay, Helena Dorothea Aicher, Berit Singer et al.
Background: While psychedelics are often claimed to enhance creativity, their precise effects on distinct stages of creative cognition remain poorly understood. This study investigated the acute effects of an ayahuasca-inspired formulation combining N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and harmine (DMT/HAR), as well as harmine alone (HAR), on micro-level (divergent/convergent thinking) and macro-level...
Research Square
July 27, 2025
Klemens Egger, Robert Bozsak, Helena Aicher et al.
1 citation
Global Increases in Brain Glucose Metabolism Following Acute N,N-Dimethyltryptamine and Harmine Administration in Healthy Volunteers: An [¹⁸F]FDG-PET Study
Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
July 9, 2025
Angela Äbelö, John W Smallridge, Robin von Rotz et al.
3 citations
N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a psychedelic compound commonly co-administered with the monoamine oxidase inhibitor harmine in ayahuasca-inspired formulations. However, the impact of harmine on DMT pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) remains insufficiently characterized. In this single-blind, randomized, two-arm, factorial, dose-finding study, 16 healthy participants (9 males, 7...
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
June 19, 2025
Helena Aicher, Ilhui A Wicki, Daniel Meling et al.
2 citations
Mindfulness and compassion are therapeutically relevant and can be increased through different forms of meditation practices. However, meditation practice needs time and commitment. These resources are often limited in patients with mood disorders. Therefore, efficacious remedies that increase mindfulness and compassion could provide therapeutic options. This study aimed to investigate the...
Universität Zürich, ZORA
June 19, 2025
Helena Dorothea Aicher, Ilhui A Wicki, Daniel Meling et al.
Background: Mindfulness and compassion are therapeutically relevant and can be increased through different forms of meditation practices. However, meditation practice needs time and commitment. These resources are often limited in patients with mood disorders. Therefore, efficacious remedies that increase mindfulness and compassion could provide therapeutic options. This study aimed to...
Neuroimage
June 1, 2025
Dila Suay, Helena Aicher, Micheal Kometer et al.
4 citations
Psychedelics are known to profoundly alter perception and self-referential processing, yet their specific effects on face recognition -particularly with regard to the recognition of face familiarity-remain underexplored. This study investigates the effects of an ayahuasca-inspired novel DMT/HAR (N,N-dimethyltryptamine/Harmine) formulation and Harmine alone on face recognition and...
Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
March 1, 2025
Klemens Egger, Javier Jareño Redondo, Jovin Müller et al.
14 citations
Ayahuasca, a traditional psychoactive Amazonian brew, usually contains N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and β-carboline (harmine, harmaline, tetrahydroharmine) monoamine oxidase inhibitors. However, the pharmacological interactions between these compounds remain incompletely understood. In this study, we developed an ayahuasca-inspired formulation containing DMT and harmine, aiming to...
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
December 28, 2024
Michael J Mueller, Helena Aicher, Dario Dornbierer et al.
10 citations
Recent interest in the clinical use of psychedelics has highlighted plant-derived medicines like ayahuasca showing rapid-acting and sustainable therapeutic effects in various psychiatric conditions. This traditional Amazonian plant decoction contains N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and β-carboline alkaloids such as harmine. However, its use is often accompanied by distressing effects like nausea,...
Journal of Psychopharmacology
September 27, 2024
Daniel Meling, Klemens Egger, Jovin Mueller et al.
15 citations
Background: In recent years, both meditation and psychedelics have attracted rapidly increasing scientific interest. While the current state of evidence suggests the promising potential of psychedelics, such as psilocybin, to enhance meditative training, it remains equivocal whether these effects are specifically bound to psilocybin or if other classical psychedelics might show synergistic...
Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS
September 10, 2024
Klemens Egger, Helena Aicher, Paul Cumming et al.
30 citations
The potent hallucinogen N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) has garnered significant interest in recent years due to its profound effects on consciousness and its therapeutic psychopotential. DMT is an integral (but not exclusive) psychoactive alkaloid in the Amazonian plant-based brew ayahuasca, in which admixture of several β-carboline monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibitors potentiate the activity...
The Oxford Handbook of Psychedelic, Religious, Spiritual, and Mystical Experiences
May 22, 2024
Daniel Meling, Milan Scheidegger
2 citations
Abstract Two views on psychedelic experiences include realism and idealism. While a realist view suggests that psychedelic experiences reveal a pre-given world to us, an idealist view suggests they are mere projections of a pre-given mind. This chapter highlights and contrasts their common tendency towards grasping and representations. It presents a promising alternative that aims at going...
Scientific Reports
April 23, 2024
Berit Singer, Daniel Meling, Matthias Hirsch-Hoffmann et al.
The original version of this Article contained an error in the name of author Berit Singer which was incorrectly given as Singer Berit.