Sub-acute and long-term effects of ayahuasca on affect and cognitive thinking style and their association with ego dissolution
Malin V. Uthaug, Kim van Oorsouw, Kim P. C. Kuypers, Martin P.j. van Boxtel, Nick J. Broers, Natasha L. Mason, Stefan W. Toennes, Jordi Riba, Johannes G. Ramaekers
Psychopharmacology August 13, 2018 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-4988-3 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 57 |
| Population | Non-pathological ayahuasca ceremony attendees in the Netherlands and Colombia |
| Intervention | Ayahuasca |
| Duration | 4-week follow-up |
| Topics | Ayahuasca Meditation Ego dissolution |
| Keywords | Affect linguistics Ceremony Mental health Cognition Clinical psychology |
| Citations | 213 |
| Key findings | Ayahuasca produces sub-acute and long-term reductions in depression and stress, and improvements in convergent thinking, with changes in affect and mindfulness linked to the degree of ego dissolution experienced during the ceremony. |
Abstract
Rationale: Ayahuasca is a psychotropic plant tea from South America used for religious purposes by indigenous people of the Amazon. Increasing evidence indicates that ayahuasca may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of mental health disorders and can enhance mindfulness-related capacities. Most research so far has focused on acute and sub-acute effects of ayahuasca on mental health-related parameters and less on long-term effects.
Objectives: The present study aimed to assess sub-acute and long-term effects of ayahuasca on well-being and cognitive thinking style. The second objective was to assess whether sub-acute and long-term effects of ayahuasca depend on the degree of ego dissolution that was experienced after consumption of ayahuasca.
Results: Ayahuasca ceremony attendants (N = 57) in the Netherlands and Colombia were assessed before, the day after, and 4 weeks following the ritual. Relative to baseline, ratings of depression and stress significantly decreased after the ayahuasca ceremony and these changes persisted for 4 weeks. Likewise, convergent thinking improved post-ayahuasca ceremony up until the 4 weeks follow-up. Satisfaction with life and several aspects of mindfulness increased the day after the ceremony, but these changes failed to reach significance 4 weeks after. Changes in affect, satisfaction with life, and mindfulness were significantly correlated to the level of ego dissolution experienced during the ayahuasca ceremony and were unrelated to previous experience with ayahuasca.
Conclusion: It is concluded that ayahuasca produces sub-acute and long-term improvements in affect and cognitive thinking style in non-pathological users. These data highlight the therapeutic potential of ayahuasca in the treatment of mental health disorders, such as depression.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
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Ayahuasca produced sub-acute and 4-week reductions in depression and stress and improved convergent thinking, with changes in affect, life satisfaction, and mindfulness correlated with the degree of ego dissolution experienced.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on ego dissolution, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Increased Global Functional Connectivity Correlates with LSD-Induced Ego Dissolution. Human participants | 2016 | Observational cohort | |
| From Egoism to Ecoism: Psychedelics Increase Nature Relatedness in a State-Mediated and Context-Dependent Manner. Individuals planning to use a psychedelic | 2019 | Prospective online study | n = 654 |
| Neural and subjective effects of inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine in natural settings. Healthy and experienced participants | 2021 | Observational field study | n = 35 |
| Mystical and Ego-Dissolution Experiences in Ayahuasca and Jurema Holistic Rituals: An Exploratory Study Participants in ayahuasca and jurema rituals in a natural environment | 2023 | Observational study | n = 26 |
| Dynamic medial parietal and hippocampal deactivations under DMT relate to sympathetic output and altered sense of time, space, and the self Healthy volunteers | 2025 | Observational cohort | n = 14 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 180
- Psychological flexibility mediates the relations between acute psychedelic effects and subjective decreases in depression and anxiety. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science 2020
- Towards an understanding of psychedelic-induced neuroplasticity. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023
- Cessation and reduction in alcohol consumption and misuse after psychedelic use Journal of Psychopharmacology May 14, 2019
- Me, myself, bye: regional alterations in glutamate and the experience of ego dissolution with psilocybin. Neuropsychopharmacology November 1, 2020
- Long-term effects of psychedelic drugs: A systematic review Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews March 16, 2020
and 175 more in the library
Cites 22
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Synaptic Dysfunction in Depression: Potential Therapeutic Targets Science October 4, 2012
- Quality of Acute Psychedelic Experience Predicts Therapeutic Efficacy of Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression Frontiers in Pharmacology January 17, 2018
- Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry March 1, 2015
- Ego-Dissolution and Psychedelics: Validation of the Ego-Dissolution Inventory (EDI) Frontiers in Human Neuroscience June 14, 2016
and 17 more in the library