Psychedelics and Personality
Marc Aixalà, Rafael G. Dos Santos, Jaime E. C. Hallak, José Carlos Bouso
ACS Chemical Neuroscience June 4, 2018 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00237 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Anxiety Ayahuasca LSD Psilocybin Serotonin |
| Keywords | Hallucinogen Mood Clinical psychology |
| Citations | 14 |
| Key findings | Psychedelics show potential for treating mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders, but their mechanisms are not fully understood. |
Abstract
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 bran dynamics in areas rich in serotonergic 5-HT2A receptors and in personality. In the present text, we present a brief and critical overview of the current research in this field, pointing out both promises and limitations of these studies.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on ayahuasca for anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 11
- Effects of ayahuasca on mental health and quality of life in naïve users: A longitudinal and cross-sectional study combination Scientific Reports March 5, 2020
- The Use of Classic Hallucinogens/Psychedelics in a Therapeutic Context: Healthcare Policy Opportunities and Challenges Risk Management and Healthcare Policy March 1, 2021
- Assessing the effects of methodological differences on outcomes in the use of psychedelics in the treatment of anxiety and depressive disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis Journal of Psychopharmacology September 14, 2021
- Role of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and psychedelics in the treatment of major depressive disorder: A perspective on mechanistic insight and current status. European Journal of Pharmacology August 15, 2025
- Peculiar plants and fantastic fungi: An ethnobotanical study of the use of hallucinogenic plants and mushrooms in Slovenia PLoS One January 7, 2021
and 6 more in the library
Cites 5
- Rapid antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled trial Psychological Medicine June 15, 2018
- Antidepressive, anxiolytic, and antiaddictive effects of ayahuasca, psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD): a systematic review of clinical trials published in the last 25 years Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology March 18, 2016
- Serotonergic psychedelics and personality: A systematic review of contemporary research Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews February 13, 2018
- Serotonergic hallucinogens in the treatment of anxiety and depression in patients suffering from a life-threatening disease: A systematic review. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry February 2, 2018
- Classical hallucinogens and neuroimaging: A systematic review of human studies: Hallucinogens and neuroimaging. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews December 2016