Background: Observational studies with ritual ayahuasca users suggest that experienced users tend to have better cognitive performance, while novice users may experience transient impairments, particularly in working memory. However, no randomized clinical trials have systematically evaluated the cognitive effects of ayahuasca in healthy volunteers. Procedures: This double-blind, randomized,...
Background: Depressive and anxiety symptoms are highly prevalent among patients with cancer and are associated with substantial reductions in quality of life. However, effective therapeutic options remain limited. Ayahuasca, a serotonergic psychedelic traditionally used in Amazonian ritual contexts, has shown rapid antidepressant and anxiolytic effects following a single administration in...
The impact of classic psychedelics (5-HT2A receptor agonists) on personality traits has been studied for decades, and it has been hypothesized that the mechanisms underlying these changes are linked to agonism at cortical serotonergic 5-HT2A receptors. However, research results are contradictory. Therefore, the present paper aims to systematically evaluate the effects of psychedelics on...
Ayahuasca has aroused increasing interest due to its therapeutic effects. However, its effects on cognition are poorly understood. Hence, a systematic review evaluating the cognitive effects of ayahuasca was conducted. This systematic review was conducted in accordance to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. A comprehensive search was performed in...
The findings suggest a clinically relevant interaction between ayahuasca and SSRIs, as even modest increases in DMT exposure may intensify serotonergic effects in individuals receiving antidepressant therapy. This study provides a mechanistic and quantitative framework for assessing interaction risks between ayahuasca alkaloids and SSRIs, supporting clinical decision-making and harm-reduction...
INTRODUCTION: Ibogaine is a natural hallucinogen with emerging evidence for treating substance use disorders. However, its cardiovascular effects are not fully known, and most clinical data focus on opioid dependence, with limited data for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). This study assessed the feasibility, safety, and preliminary effects of ibogaine in patients with AUD. METHOD: In this...