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Maarten Belgers

6 papers in the library · 130 citations · publishing 2016-2026

Papers

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Ibogaine is associated with reorganization of high-beta brain networks in veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) March 24, 2026 Kenneth Shinozuka, Mattia Rosso, Anna Chaiken et al. 1 citation preprint

Abstract Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating condition that affects millions of veterans. A recent observational study in 30 veterans showed that a single dose of the atypical psychedelic ibogaine can be highly effective at treating PTSD up to twelve months later. Although a prior study demonstrated that ibogaine transiently alters electroencephalography (EEG) power in...

DOI: 10.64898/2026.03.20.713241 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Electroencephalography Neuroimaging Biomarker Nerve net +2

The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ibogaine in opioid use disorder patients.

Journal of Psychopharmacology May 1, 2024 Thomas Knuijver, Rob Ter Heine, Arnt Schellekens et al. 15 citations

Ibogaine is a hallucinogenic drug that may be used to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). The relationships between pharmacokinetics (PKs) of ibogaine and its metabolites and their clinical effects on side effects and opioid withdrawal severity are unknown. We aimed to study these relationships in patients with OUD undergoing detoxification supported by ibogaine. The study was performed in 14...

Safety of ibogaine administration in detoxification of opioid-dependent individuals: a descriptive open-label observational study.

Addiction 2022 Thomas Knuijver, Arnt Schellekens, Maarten Belgers et al. 49 citations

Ibogaine is an indole alkaloid used in rituals of the African Bwiti tribe. It is also used in non-medical settings to treat addiction. However, ibogaine has been linked to several deaths, mainly due to cardiac events called torsades des pointes preceded by QTc prolongation as well as other safety concerns. This study aimed to evaluate the cardiac, cerebellar and psychomimetic safety of ibogaine...

Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder After Ibogaine Treatment for Opioid Dependence.

Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology December 1, 2018 Thomas Knuijver, Maarten Belgers, Wiebren Markus et al.

expressed in brain regions associated with emotional processing. Modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis by altering cortisol tone also seems to be involved in this effect. The ECS modulates stress and anxiety. Serum AEA and 2-AG levels are increased after stress, and AEA levels are negatively associated to baseline anxiety and are significantly reduced in womenwith major...

Ibogaine and addiction in the animal model, a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Translational Psychiatry May 31, 2016 Maarten Belgers, M Leenaars, Judith R. Homberg et al. 64 citations

Ibogaine is a naturally occurring substance which has been increasingly used in the lay-scene to reduce craving and relapse in patients with substance use disorders (SUDs). Although human clinical trials on the safety and efficacy of ibogaine are lacking, animal studies do support the efficacy of ibogaine. In this systematic review and meta-analysis (MA), we summarise these animal findings,...

DOI: 10.1038/tp.2016.71 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Ibogaine Addiction treatment Drug self-administration reduction Curbing addictive behaviors +11

Treatment of heroin dependence with ibogaine

European Psychiatry March 1, 2016 Arnt Schellekens, Toon Van Oosteren, Thomas Knuijver et al. 1 citation

Background The use of the hallucinogen ibogaine as an anti-addiction agent has been described in several case reports, dating back to the eighties. The anti-addiction properties of ibogaine have been confirmed in a large body of animal work. Ibogaine has been shown to be effective in reducing withdrawal severity and substance use for a variety of substances, including cocaine and opiates....

DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.799 (opens in new tab) Opiate Pharmacology Hallucinogen Heroin +1