An ontogenic study of the behavioral effects of chronic intermittent exposure to ayahuasca in mice
Nelson Francisco Correa-Netto, M.y. Masukawa, F. Nishide, G Galfano, Fumiya Tamura, M.k. Shimizo, M.p. Marcato, Jair Guilherme Santos-Junior, Alessandra Linardi
Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research 2017 DOI: 10.1590/1414-431x20176036 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Animal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | C57BL/6 mice |
| Intervention | Ayahuasca |
| Dose | 1.5 mL/kg |
| Duration | Twice a week for periods ranging from childhood (PND21-PND35) to adulthood (PND90-PND118) and combinations |
| Topics | Anxiety Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Open field Developmental psychology Elevated plus maze Early adulthood Physiology |
| Citations | 20 |
| Key points | Ayahuasca exposure during childhood increased anxiety-related risk assessment behavior, and during adolescence impaired spatial memory retrieval, but these effects were not long-lasting. |
Abstract
Ayahuasca is a beverage obtained from decoctions of the Banisteriopsis caapi plus Psychotria viridis. In religious contexts, ayahuasca is used by different age groups. However, little is known of the effects of ayahuasca during ontogenic development, particularly with regard to the functional characteristics of the central nervous system. Animal models are useful for studying the ontogenic effects of ayahuasca because they allow exclusion of the behavioral influence associated with the ritualistic use. We investigated the effects of exposure to ayahuasca (1.5 mL/kg, orally, twice a week) on memory and anxiety in C57BL/6 mice, with the post-natal day (PND) being used as the ontogenic criterion for classification: childhood (PND21 to PND35), adolescence (PND35 to PND63), adulthood (PND90-PND118), childhood-adolescence (PND21 to PND63), childhood-adulthood (PND21 to PND118) and adolescence-adulthood (PND35 to PND118). One day after the last ayahuasca exposure, the mice were subjected to the Morris water maze (MWM), open field and elevated plus maze tasks (EPM). Ayahuasca did not affect locomotion in the open field or open arms exploration in the EPM, but increased the risk assessment behavior in the childhood group. Ayahuasca did not cause any change in acquisition of spatial reference memory in the MWM task, but decreased the time spent on the platform quadrant during the test session in the adolescence group. These results suggest that, in mice, exposure to ayahuasca in childhood and adolescence promoted anxiety and memory impairment, respectively. However, these behavioral changes were not long-lasting since they were not observed in the childhood-adulthood and adolescence-adulthood groups.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on ayahuasca for anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Behavioral Changes Over Time Following Ayahuasca Exposure in Zebrafish Adult zebrafish | 2017 | Experimental study | n = 70 |
| Effects of Long-Term Ayahuasca Administration on Memory and Anxiety in Rats Rats | 2015 | Animal study | |
| Antidepressant and anxiolytic-like effects of ayahuasca in rats subjected to LPS-induced neuroinflammation Male rats, about 90 days old | 2022 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 80 |
| Psychedelics: A review of their effects on recalled aversive memories and fear/anxiety expression in rodents Rodents | 2024 | Review | |
| Ayahuasca Pretreatment Prevents Sepsis-Induced Anxiety-Like Behavior, Neuroinflammation, and Oxidative Stress, and Increases Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor. Rats | 2025 | Animal study |