Preliminary evidence of links between ayahuasca use and the corpus callosum.
Otto Simonsson, José Carlos Bouso, Florian Kurth, Draulio B Araujo, Christian Gaser, Jordi Riba, Eileen Luders
Frontiers in Psychiatry 2022 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1002455 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case-control study Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 44 |
| Population | 22 ayahuasca users and 22 matched controls |
| Intervention | Ayahuasca |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Corpus callosum Isthmus Psychedelics entheogens Hallucinogens Neuroscience brain science Neurobiology Brain structure Neural path |
| Citations | 6 |
| Key findings | The corpus callosum was significantly thicker within the isthmus in the ayahuasca group than in the control group, and there was a positive correlation between callosal thickness and number of past ayahuasca sessions in the rostral body, though none of these effects survived corrections for multiple comparisons. |
Abstract
Recent research suggests that ayahuasca and its alkaloid-containing ingredients may be helpful in the treatment and prevention of certain movement and neurodegenerative disorders. However, such research is still in its infancy and more studies in normative samples seem necessary to explore effects of ayahuasca on clinically relevant brain structures, such as the corpus callosum. The purpose of the present study was to investigate links between ayahuasca use and callosal structure in a normative sample. Using structural imaging data from 22 ayahuasca users and 22 matched controls we compared the thickness of the corpus callosum between both groups at 100 equidistant points across the entire midsagittal surface. In addition, we investigated point-wise correlations between callosal thickness and the number of past ayahuasca sessions. The corpus callosum was significantly thicker within the isthmus in the ayahuasca group than in the control group. There was also a significant positive correlation between callosal thickness and the number of past ayahuasca sessions within the rostral body, albeit none of these effects survived corrections for multiple comparisons. No region was significantly thicker in the control than in the ayahuasca group, and no callosal region was negatively linked to ayahuasca use, even at uncorrected significance thresholds. This study provides preliminary evidence of links between ayahuasca use and the corpus callosum. However, future studies need to replicate these findings, preferably using larger sample sizes and ideally also utilizing longitudinal research designs, to draw any practical conclusion and offer implications for follow-up clinical research.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on ayahuasca, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report Patients with a depressive disorder | 2015 | Observational study | |
| The Psychedelic State Induced by Ayahuasca Modulates the Activity and Connectivity of the Default Mode Network Experienced subjects | 2015 | Observational cohort | n = 10 |
| Human Psychopharmacology of Hoasca, A Plant Hallucinogen Used in Ritual Context in Brazil Long-term members of a syncretic church that uses hoasca as a psychoactive sacrament... | 1996 | Observational cohort with matched controls | n = 30 |
| Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada Rural aboriginal population | 2013 | Observational study | |
| Personality, Psychopathology, Life Attitudes and Neuropsychological Performance among Ritual Users of Ayahuasca: A Longitudinal Study Regular ayahuasca users and active controls in non-ayahuasca religions | 2012 | Observational cohort | n = 242 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Neurobiological research on N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and its potentiation by monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibition: from ayahuasca to synthetic combinations of DMT and MAO inhibitors. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences September 10, 2024
- Long-term ayahuasca use is associated with preserved global cognitive function and improved memory: a cross-sectional study with ritual users. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience March 1, 2025
- Cortical structural differences following repeated ayahuasca use hold molecular signatures Frontiers in Neuroscience October 5, 2023
- Neural Network Modulation of Ayahuasca: A Systematic Review of Human Studies Psychoactives March 20, 2023
- Serotonergic psychedelics for Autism spectrum disorder: Neurobiological mechanisms and translational prospects. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry June 20, 2026
Cites 18
- Rapid antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled trial Psychological Medicine June 15, 2018
- The Hallucinogen N,N -Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) Is an Endogenous Sigma-1 Receptor Regulator Science February 13, 2009
- Antidepressant Effects of a Single Dose of Ayahuasca in Patients With Recurrent Depression Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology December 11, 2015
- Personality, Psychopathology, Life Attitudes and Neuropsychological Performance among Ritual Users of Ayahuasca: A Longitudinal Study PLoS One August 8, 2012
- Long-term use of psychedelic drugs is associated with differences in brain structure and personality in humans European Neuropsychopharmacology January 16, 2015
and 13 more in the library