Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2005
Paulo César Ribeiro Barbosa, Joel Sales Giglio, Paulo Dalgalarrondo
121 citations
After first-time ritual use of ayahuasca in the Santo Daime and União do Vegetal religious groups, participants reported predominantly positive expectations beforehand. The most salient altered-state experiences included visual phenomena, a sense of the numinous, peacefulness, insights, and some distressing reactions. In the Santo Daime group, minor psychiatric symptoms significantly reduced. Both groups reported behavioral changes toward assertiveness, serenity, and vivacity or joy. Findings are discussed in terms of set and setting, suggestibility, and ayahuasca's unique effects.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 15, 2019
Alexander Trope, B. Anderson, Andrew R. Hooker et al.
113 citations
A systematic review of English- and Spanish-language publications identified experimental studies of psychedelic-assisted group therapy, an area overlooked by prior reviews that focused on individual psychotherapy. The review characterizes these studies by clinical approach, experimental method, and outcomes. It aims to generate hypotheses for future research on psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, group process, and interpersonal functioning, given renewed clinical interest in psychedelic medicines.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
September 1, 2009
Paulo César Ribeiro Barbosa, Irene Maurício Cazorla, Joel Sales Giglio et al.
113 citations
Twenty-three people were assessed just before and six months after their first ayahuasca experience in two Brazilian religious groups. In the Santo Daime group, minor psychiatric symptoms decreased, mental health improved, and attitudes shifted toward greater confidence and optimism. In the União do Vegetal group, physical pain decreased and attitudes shifted toward greater independence. More frequent ayahuasca use was linked to more independence, while a longer period without ayahuasca was linked to less independence. The authors discuss possible mechanisms behind these changes and suggest areas for future research.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 23, 2020
Lindsay P. Cameron, Angela Nazarian, David E. Olson
112 citations
A survey of 2,347 people found that psychedelic microdosing—taking sub-hallucinogenic doses on a chronic schedule—is relatively common, with 17% of respondents having tried it. Microdosers reported that the practice subjectively improved their mood, decreased anxiety, and enhanced memory, attention, and sociability. The most common reasons for quitting were the risks of taking an illegal substance (24.28%) and difficulty obtaining psychedelic compounds (22.63%). The findings suggest microdosing is associated with a broad range of self-reported socio-affective, cognitive, and physical outcomes.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2005
Dartiu Xavier Da Silveira, Charles S. Grob, Marlene Dobkin De Rios et al.
111 citations
Adolescents who consume ayahuasca in a religious setting show lower rates of anxiety, body dysmorphic concerns, and attentional problems compared to matched controls, despite similar overall psychiatric profiles. The study compared 40 adolescents from a Brazilian ayahuasca sect with 40 controls matched on sex, age, and education. Screening scales for depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse, attentional problems, and body dysmorphic disorders found considerably lower positive scores for anxiety, body dysmorphism, and attentional problems among ayahuasca-using adolescents. These low frequencies may reflect a protective effect of religious affiliation, though further research on other variables is needed.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
October 20, 2015
Veronika Kavenská, Hana Šimonová
109 citations
Foreigners travel to South America for ayahuasca experiences driven by curiosity, a desire to treat mental health problems, a need for self-knowledge, interest in psychedelic medicine, spiritual development, and finding direction in life. Participants reported benefits such as self-knowledge, improved self-relation, spiritual growth, better interpersonal relations, overcoming mental and physical issues, and gaining new life perspectives. Potential risks included distrust in the shaman or organizer, inaccurate information, and exposure to dangerous situations. Personality assessments of 77 participants revealed scores significantly above the norm on intuition, optimism, ambition, charm, and helpfulness, and significantly lower on distrust and quietness.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 1998
M Mangini
107 citations
LSD was studied extensively for therapeutic use after its discovery in 1943, particularly for treating alcoholism, inspired by the observation that delirium tremens sometimes led alcoholics to reduce drinking. Early researchers conducted many hypothesis-generating studies with varied designs, but few controlled trials tested the premise. After twenty-five years, flawed methodology, uneven results, and social disapproval halted research, leaving many questions unanswered. Today, after a thirty-year pause, interest in these historical findings has revived. This article reviews the history of LSD treatment for alcoholism and the events that reclassified hallucinogens as drugs of abuse.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2001
J Ott
106 citations
Self-experiments with pharmepéna (crystalline 5-MeO-DMT, sometimes combined with harmaline or harmine) via intranasal, sublingual, and oral routes model South American shamanic snuffs like epéna. The 1967 Holmstedt-Lindgren hypothesis—that intranasal tryptamines are potentiated by MAOI beta-carbolines from Banisteriopsis caapi—was confirmed in about 17 bioassays. Relevant phytochemical and psychonautic literature is also reviewed.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
October 20, 2015
Emmanuelle A. D. Schindler, Christopher Gottschalk, Marsha J. Weil et al.
104 citations
Cluster headache is one of the most debilitating pain syndromes, and many patients do not respond to standard treatments. A survey of 496 people with cluster headache, recruited from websites and clinics, found that the indoleamine hallucinogens psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide, and lysergic acid amide were rated as comparable to or more effective than most conventional medications for aborting attacks and preventing them. These substances were also perceived to shorten or abort a cluster period and bring chronic cluster headache into remission more often than conventional medications. Even infrequent, non-hallucinogenic doses were reported as effective. The findings reinforce the need for further controlled studies of these compounds.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
September 1, 2021
Alan K. Davis, Gabrielle Agin-Liebes, Megan España et al.
103 citations
Clinical psychologists in the United States hold cautiously favorable attitudes toward psychedelic-assisted therapy but express concerns about psychiatric and neurocognitive risks. Most surveyed psychologists report lacking a full understanding of psychedelics' effects and indicate a need for additional consultation. They endorse positive beliefs about the potential of psychedelic treatment and the need for further research. The findings highlight the need to increase education and training about psychedelics for psychologists to enhance knowledge and reduce stigma.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2006
Michael Lerner, Michael Lyvers
99 citations
People who use psychedelic drugs like LSD and psilocybin report stronger mystical beliefs (such as oneness with God and the universe), higher spirituality, and greater concern for others, along with lower value on financial prosperity, compared to users of other illegal drugs or social drinkers. These differences held across Israeli and Australian samples. Users of nonpsychedelic illegal drugs showed lower coping ability than both psychedelic users and non-drug users. Both illegal drug groups scored higher on empathy than non-users. The findings may reflect transformative effects of psychedelic experiences, but could also stem from pre-existing traits of those who choose to take psychedelics.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2002
Rick Doblin
98 citations
Regulatory agencies in the United States and Spain have determined that the potential benefits of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) outweigh the risks under specific conditions, approving pilot studies for patients who did not improve with at least one prior conventional treatment. These trials, funded by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), are the only therapeutic MDMA studies worldwide. A rationale explains MAPS's focus on MDMA and PTSD. A Clinical Plan outlines the required safety and efficacy trials, estimated to cost about 5 million dollars and take about five years, developed partly from analyzing Pfizer's Zoloft approval process for PTSD.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
November 1, 2012
Michael Lyvers, Molly Meester
97 citations
Even in today's recreational context, higher doses of LSD and psilocybin are linked to mystical experiences, while MDMA, cannabis, cocaine, opiates, and alcohol are not. A survey of 337 adults, mostly recruited through MAPS, found that use of LSD and psilocybin was positively related to scores on mystical experience indices in a dose-dependent manner, despite only a quarter reporting spiritual motives. MDMA use showed no such relationship. The findings suggest that full psychedelics at higher doses can still induce mystical states in many users.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
December 1, 2009
Anette Kjellgren, Anders Eriksson, Torsten Norlander
97 citations
Western users of ayahuasca describe a predictable sequence of experiences: initial motivation, a frightening contractile state, a sudden transformation, limitless expansive states with transcendental experiences, reflections, and a changed worldview with new life orientation. This structure, named the transcendental circle, emerged from anonymous written descriptions by 25 Northern Europeans who participated in group ayahuasca sessions. Participants reported many positive psychological and physical improvements, suggesting ayahuasca could be of potential interest for developing new medicines and therapies.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
September 1, 2001
Alana Rae. Pentney
94 citations
MDA and MDMA (Ecstasy) have been known for nearly a century and are controversial: some see them as dangerous neurotoxins, others as potential psychotherapeutics. Despite being classified as illicit controlled substances in the United States, MDMA remains one of the most popular recreational drugs in North America. Prohibition has led to the distribution of contaminated or misrepresented Ecstasy tablets and has hindered responsible research into both harmful and therapeutic effects. The history of these compounds suggests they could be used safely as psychotherapeutic tools, indicating that their legal status may warrant reconsideration.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2023
Aviad Hadar, Jonathan David, Nadav Shalit et al.
93 citations
Psychedelics were used to treat psychiatric conditions before their prohibition in the late 1960s. Over the past three decades, research interest in their therapeutic potential has revived, with expected FDA approvals for various conditions. This bibliometric analysis characterized the top-cited 100 articles in the field, which were cited between 82 and 668 times (median 125; mean 158). Fifty-four percent of these articles were published in the last decade (2010-2020). Network and author impact analysis identified key figures and collaboration networks. The UK, USA, Switzerland, Spain, and Brazil lead the field. The findings facilitate research evaluation, data-driven funding policies, and a practical map for researchers and clinicians.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2019
Anne C Wagner, Michael C Mithoefer, Ann T Mithoefer et al.
92 citations
Combining Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD (CBCT) with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy in a small pilot trial can reduce PTSD symptoms and improve relationship satisfaction. A case study of one couple with a severe trauma history, representative of the trial participants, details the integrated methodology and the couple's treatment experience. The article describes how these two therapeutic modalities were merged and demonstrates that the combination produces positive outcomes, including symptom reduction and enhanced relationship functioning.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
May 26, 2016
Amanda Amorin Nunes, Rafael G. Dos Santos, Flávia de Lima Osório et al.
92 citations
Ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic beverage containing DMT and β-carbolines, shows potential for treating addiction. A systematic review of five animal studies and five observational human studies found that ayahuasca or its components improved biochemical or behavioral measures related to drug-induced disorders. Four of five human studies reported significant reductions in dependence symptoms or substance use; one found no significant effect. The anti-addictive mechanisms are unclear but may involve peripheral MAO-A inhibition by β-carbolines and central 5-HT2A receptor activation by DMT in brain regions regulating mood. Controlled studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2002
Franz X. Vollenweider, Matthias E. Liechti, Alex Gamma et al.
92 citations
Since the mid 1990s, MDMA has been increasingly used recreationally as 'Ecstasy' by young people in Europe and the United States, yet systematic data on its psychological and neurobiological effects have been scarce. The authors conducted several studies in healthy human volunteers using placebo-controlled within-subject designs, standardized psychometric ratings, and neuropsychological tests to characterize the acute, short-term, and prolonged effects of MDMA. They also used specific receptor antagonists and Positron Emission Tomography to explore the neurotransmitter systems and functional neuroanatomy involved. This summary covers MDMA's acute effects on psychological and cognitive measures, information processing, and regional brain activity in healthy volunteers.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
July 1, 2012
Ede Frecska, Csaba E. Móré, András Vargha et al.
88 citations
Visual creativity, measured by the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, increased after a series of ayahuasca ceremonies once acute effects had subsided. Forty ayahuasca ritual participants in Brazil showed significantly more highly original solutions and phosphenic (entoptic) responses compared to twenty-one controls tested two weeks apart. However, ayahuasca participants already produced more phosphenic solutions at baseline, likely because they had more recent psychedelic experiences. The naturalistic study suggests that ritual ayahuasca use may enhance certain visual creativity measures and increase entoptic activity after the acute psychoactive effects recede.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 15, 2019
Lisa Jerome, Brad Burge, Richard Doblin et al.
87 citations
Psychedelic plants and fungi have been used in indigenous healing for millennia. Modern research began with Albert Hofmann's synthesis of LSD-25 in 1938, and his accidental self-ingestion in 1943. After scientific and cultural exploration in the 1950s and 1960s, research was nearly halted by government restrictions in the 1970s and 1980s, despite evidence of limited medical risks and therapeutic potential. Today, rigorous studies are abundant, including clinical trials with MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD, alcoholism, and social anxiety, psilocybin studies for depression and addiction, investigations into psychedelics' ability to catalyze spiritual experiences and inspire creativity, and neuroscientific research on their nervous system effects.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2013
Rafael Guimarães Dos Santos
87 citations
Ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic brew used in rituals, appears not to be seriously toxic to humans after either single or long-term use. While animal studies have raised concerns about possible harm to developing offspring, the limited human evidence on adolescents exposed to ayahuasca in the womb reports no serious toxic effects from ritual consumption. The authors caution against directly extrapolating animal data to humans and call for more basic and human research before drawing firm conclusions about risks to pregnant women and children.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2002
Mim J. Landry
87 citations
An estimated 6.4 million individuals have used MDMA. Among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders, use substantially increased from the mid-1990s to 2001, with sharp rises in 2000 and a more gradual increase in 2001. Exposure among high school seniors nearly quadrupled over the past decade, and many young adults report having friends who use MDMA. Perceived availability rose dramatically during the 1990s, with sharp increases in 2000 and 2001; MDMA is now one of the most available drugs for youth. Among college students and young adults, use increased progressively throughout the 1990s and sharply in 2000. MDMA-related emergency department visits increased dramatically, often nearly doubling each year, mostly among patients 25 or younger.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 1996
T Lyttle, D Goldstein, J Gartz
84 citations
The Bufo toad and its chemical bufotenine have been surrounded by myth and misinformation for centuries. Used in ancient magic and medicine, the toad was later seen as both a cure and a poison. In the 1960s, it became a countercultural icon when people reportedly licked or smoked its secretions to get high. Bufotenine has been scientifically debated since 1893. This paper reviews the extensive literature to clarify the facts and separate them from popular and scientific confusion, providing a comprehensive bibliography for further research.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
July 1, 2012
Mitchell B. Liester, James I. Prickett
78 citations
Ayahuasca, a medicinal plant mixture used by indigenous peoples in the Amazon, combines monoamine oxidase inhibitors and DMT to produce profound changes in consciousness. It is increasingly used to treat addictions, though its mechanism of action remains unclear. Four hypotheses are offered to explain possible biochemical, physiological, psychological, and transcendent mechanisms behind its anti-addiction effects.