Journal of Affective Disorders Reports
February 6, 2021
Jerome Sarris, Daniel Perkins, Lachlan Cribb et al.
72 citations
Background\nAyahuasca is a psychoactive Amazonian brew which has emerging data indicating that it has antidepressant and anxiolytic properties.\n\nMethods\nThis paper uses data from the Global Ayahuasca Project (GAP), which was undertaken across 2017-2020 and involved 11912 people, to examine the perceived effects of ayahuasca consumption on affective symptoms. The study focused on the...
Advances in experimental medicine and biology
2021
José Carlos Bouso, Genís Ona, Rafael G. Dos Santos et al.
6 citations
The volume of research on the therapeutic use of psychedelic drugs has been increasing during the last decades. Partly because of the need of innovative treatments in psychiatry, several studies have assessed the safety and efficacy of drugs like psilocybin or ayahuasca for a wide range of mental disorders, including major depression. The first section of this chapter will offer an introduction...
Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry
October 30, 2020
Ícaro Durante, Rafael G. Dos Santos, José Carlos Bouso et al.
49 citations
A minority of participants reported being very negatively affected by persistent adverse effects. Psychiatric medication use while participating in ayahuasca rituals was not associated with increased adverse effects. For the most part, the institution's practices seem sufficient to prevent exacerbated reactions. Future studies may focus on negatively affected users.
ACS Chemical Neuroscience
October 6, 2020
Genís Ona, Rafael G. Dos Santos, Jaime E. C. Hallak et al.
12 citations
Research with psychedelic drugs has mainly focused on isolated compounds. However, this approach is challenged by the "polypharmacology" paradigm. In this Viewpoint, we suggest that we may be missing something if we do not use the whole product in the case of ayahuasca or Psilocybe mushrooms. After describing how research on psychedelic drugs can be effectively combined with the...
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
October 5, 2020
Genís Ona, José Carlos Bouso
59 citations
Microdosing psychedelic drugs-that is, taking sub-behavioral doses of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) or psilocybin-is a growing practice in Western societies. Taken mainly for creative or mood-enhancing purposes, thousands of users are increasingly being exposed to (micro)doses of psychedelic drugs. In this systematic review, we searched the available evidence from human studies, focusing our...
Qeios
April 27, 2020
Genís Ona, José Carlos Bouso
7 citations
The field of psychiatry is facing unprecedented challenges. Despite recent important innovations, several mental disorders continue to lack effective treatment. After briefly exploring some of the current challenges, we suggest that the therapeutic use of psychedelic drugs in psychotherapeutic settings represents a promising and integrative treatment with enduring effects for mental health...
Archives of Clinical Psychiatry (São Paulo)
April 1, 2020
José Carlos Bouso, I. Fornís, Mireia Ventura et al.
15 citations
Background: Therapeutic properties of ibogaine in the treatment of addiction are attracting both clinicians and patients to its use. Since ibogaine is not an authorized medicine, the quality of these products is not always known, increasing the probability of adverse reactions. Objective: This study collects different types of iboga-derived samples from treatment providers, vendors and online...
Scientific Reports
March 5, 2020
José Carlos Bouso, Daniel Jiménez‐garrido, María de Lourdes Gómez-sousa et al.
111 citations
Abstract Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic decoction used as a traditional medicine in several Amazonian regions. The ritualistic use of ayahuasca has spread throughout many countries, making it necessary to study its risks and benefits. Two sub-studies were designed for this investigation. In sub-study 1, a psychiatric interview and a battery of questionnaires were administered to subjects (n =...
Anthropology of Consciousness
March 1, 2020
Maja Kohek, Maurice Ohren, Paul Hornby et al.
20 citations
Abstract Ibogaine is the most abundant alkaloid present in the African shrub Tabernanthe iboga . As a result of the lack of research on the acute subjective effects, the purpose of this study was to identify categories of the ibogaine experience and gain a better understanding of the internal processes while under its effects. We created a semistructured interview and recruited twenty...
Psychopharmacology
January 14, 2020
Débora González, Jordi Cantillo, Irene Hidalgo Pérez et al.
73 citations
Abstract Rationale Recent studies have assessed the therapeutic potential of ayahuasca for the treatment of depression with promising preliminary results . Objectives Here, we examine the course of grief over 1 year of follow-up in a bereaved sample that attended a center in Peru to participate in indigenous Shipibo ayahuasca ceremonies. We also explore the roles of experiential avoidance and...
Current Medicinal Chemistry
December 13, 2019
Genís Ona, José Carlos Bouso
15 citations
In the drug development, the formation of highly selective ligands has been unsuccessful in the treatment of central nervous system disorders. Multi-target ligands, from the polypharmacology paradigm, are being proposed as treatments for these complex disorders, since they offer enhanced efficacy and a strong safety profile. Natural products are the best examples of multi-target compounds, so...
BMC Psychiatry
October 28, 2019
Rafael G. Dos Santos, José Carlos Bouso, Jaime E. C. Hallak
17 citations
In a recent issue of the BMC Psychiatry, the evidence of effectiveness of treatments for psychiatric conditions in end-stage cancer patients was reviewed (Johnson, 2018). The review was comprehensive, and included traditional and non-traditional/alternative treatments, including herbal medicines and spirituality. However, evidence showing that classic or serotonergic hallucinogens/psychedelics...
Drugs Education Prevention and Policy
May 7, 2019
Marc Aixalà, Genís Ona, Òscar Parés et al.
16 citations
In recent years, the use of natural psychoactive drugs (NPDs) has grown rapidly. They are classified as new psychoactive substances (NPSs), despite the reality that they have been used for centuries. We are lacking information regarding patterns of use or characteristics of users, but some evidence suggests that NPDs substantially differ from NPSs in terms of both their safety profile and...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
February 7, 2019
Genís Ona, Maja Kohek, Tomàs Massaguer et al.
76 citations
Assessing the health status of ayahuasca users has been challenging due to the limitations involved in randomized clinical trials and psychometric approaches. The main objective of this study is the implementation of an approach based on public health indicators. We developed a self-administered questionnaire that was administered to long-term ayahuasca users around Spain. The questionnaire was...
Preprints.org
January 24, 2019
Genís Ona, José Carlos Bouso
8 citations
preprint
The current crisis in psychopharmacology has a long history and needs to be addressed with innovative and effective strategies. Here we discuss some of the roots of this crisis and suggest that the therapeutic use of psychedelic drugs represents a promising and integrative treatment with enduring effects for mental health problems.
Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology
2019
Juliana Mendes Rocha, Flávia de Lima Osório, José Alexandre S. Crippa et al.
44 citations
Background: Recognition of emotions in facial expressions (REFE) is a key aspect of social cognition. Anxiety and mood disorders are associated with deficits in REFE, and anxiolytics and antidepressants reverse these deficits. Recent studies have shown that serotonergic hallucinogens (i.e. ayahuasca, dimethyltryptamine, psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide [LSD], and mescaline) have...
Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology
August 13, 2018
Rafael G. Dos Santos, José Carlos Bouso, Miguel Ángel Alcázar‐córcoles et al.
231 citations
Mood, anxiety, and substance-use disorders are among the most prevalent psychiatric disorders in the population. Although several pharmacological treatments are available, they are not effective for a significant proportion of patients and are associated with several adverse reactions. Therefore, new treatments should be explored. Recent studies suggest that serotonergic...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
July 25, 2018
Rafael G. Dos Santos, Scotty Enyart, José Carlos Bouso et al.
18 citations
Aphantasia ("blind imagination") is a poorly described condition with an uncertain etiology, characterized by reduced or lack of voluntary visual imagery. Preliminary evidence in humans suggests that hallucinogenic or psychedelic drugs that act as agonists of cortical 5-HT2A receptors [lysergic acid diethylamide, psilocybin, and dimethyltryptamine (DMT)] enhance visual imagery. Interview and...
ACS Chemical Neuroscience
June 4, 2018
Marc Aixalà, Rafael G. Dos Santos, Jaime E. C. Hallak et al.
14 citations
In the past decade, an increasing number of clinical trials are reporting evidence that psychedelics or serotonergic hallucinogens (such as lysergic acid diethylamide, psilocybin, and ayahuasca/dimethyltryptamine) could be effective in the treatment of mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders. The mechanisms responsible for these effects are not fully understood but seem to involve changes in...
Psychiatry Research
April 4, 2018
Alba Franquesa, Alberto Sainz-Cort, Sam Gandy et al.
58 citations
Ayahuasca is a psychedelic decoction originating from Amazonia. The ayahuasca-induced introspective experience has been shown to have potential benefits in the treatment of several pathologies, to protect mental health and to improve neuropsychological functions and creativity, and boost mindfulness. The underlying psychological processes related to the use of ayahuasca in a psychotherapeutic...
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
February 13, 2018
José Carlos Bouso, Rafael G. Dos Santos, Miguel Ángel Alcázar‐córcoles et al.
135 citations
Serotonergic psychedelics act as agonists at cortical 5-HT2A receptors and seem to induce personality changes. We conducted a systematic review of studies assessing the effects of these drugs on personality. Papers published from 1985-2016 were included from PubMed, LILACS, and SciELO databases. Three hundred and sixty-nine studies were identified, and 18 were included. Specific personality...
Archives of Clinical Psychiatry (São Paulo)
August 1, 2017
Rafael G. Dos Santos, José Carlos Bouso, Jaime E. C. Hallak
15 citations
Abstract Background Ayahuasca is a psychoactive ethnobotanical concoction that has been used for decades by indigenous groups of the Northwestern Amazon and by syncretic religious organizations for ritual and therapeutic purposes. In the last two decades, it is being used worldwide in evolving practices. Ayahuasca seem to therapeutic effects, but controlled studies are lacking. Moreover, its...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
April 1, 2017
Rafael G. Dos Santos, José Carlos Bouso, Jaime E. C. Hallak
36 citations
Ibogaine is a naturally occurring hallucinogenic alkaloid with a therapeutic potential for reducing drug craving and withdrawal. To the best of our knowledge, no systematic review was previously performed assessing these effects. Thus, we conducted a systematic literature review of human studies assessing the antiaddictive effects of ibogaine. Papers published up to July 2, 2016 were included...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
April 1, 2017
Clare Wilkins, Rafael G. Dos Santos, Jordi Solà et al.
15 citations
Ibogaine is a natural alkaloid that has been used in the last decades as an adjuvant for the treatment of opiate withdrawal. Despite the beneficial results suggested by animal studies and case series, there is a lack of clinical trials to assess the safety and efficacy of ibogaine. Moreover, the majority of reports described cases of heroin-dependent individuals, with and without concomitant...
Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology
February 23, 2017
Rafael G. Dos Santos, José Carlos Bouso, Jaime E. C. Hallak
167 citations
Ayahuasca is a hallucinogen brew traditionally used for ritual and therapeutic purposes in Northwestern Amazon. It is rich in the tryptamine hallucinogens dimethyltryptamine (DMT), which acts as a serotonin 5-HT 2A agonist. This mechanism of action is similar to other compounds such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin. The controlled use of LSD and psilocybin in experimental...