Journal of Psychopharmacology
March 19, 2021
Rafael G. Dos Santos, Jaime Ec Hallak, Glen B. Baker et al.
51 citations
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is among the most prevalent mental health disorders worldwide, and it is associated with a reduced quality of life and enormous costs to health care systems. Available drug treatments show low-to-moderate response in most patients, with almost a third of patients being non-responders (treatment-resistant). Furthermore, most currently available medications need...
Psychopharmacology
March 10, 2021
Malin V. Uthaug, Natasha L. Mason, Stefan W. Toennes et al.
116 citations
Abstract Ayahuasca is a plant concoction containing N,N -dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and certain β-carboline alkaloids from South America. Previous research in naturalistic settings has suggested that ingestion of ayahuasca can improve mental health and well-being; however, these studies were not placebo controlled and did not control for the possibility of expectation bias. This naturalistic...
Journal of Affective Disorders Reports
February 6, 2021
Jerome Sarris, Daniel Perkins, Lachlan Cribb et al.
72 citations
Background\nAyahuasca is a psychoactive Amazonian brew which has emerging data indicating that it has antidepressant and anxiolytic properties.\n\nMethods\nThis paper uses data from the Global Ayahuasca Project (GAP), which was undertaken across 2017-2020 and involved 11912 people, to examine the perceived effects of ayahuasca consumption on affective symptoms. The study focused on the...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
December 7, 2020
Lucas Oliveira Maia, Dimitri Daldegan-Bueno, Luís Fernando Tófoli
33 citations
Diseases that threaten life raise existential questions that can be a source of psychological distress. Studies with psychedelics demonstrate therapeutic effects for anxiety and depression associated with life-threatening illnesses. Ayahuasca has been proposed as a possible therapeutic agent in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Preliminary studies suggest that ayahuasca could promote...
Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry
October 30, 2020
Ícaro Durante, Rafael G. Dos Santos, José Carlos Bouso et al.
49 citations
A minority of participants reported being very negatively affected by persistent adverse effects. Psychiatric medication use while participating in ayahuasca rituals was not associated with increased adverse effects. For the most part, the institution's practices seem sufficient to prevent exacerbated reactions. Future studies may focus on negatively affected users.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
August 4, 2020
Cecile Giovannetti, Sara García Arce, Brian Rush et al.
55 citations
Recent research highlighted the therapeutic potential of ayahuasca, a psychoactive plant brew used ritually in traditional Amazonian medicine (TAM). The present study evaluates the impact of integrating ayahuasca and TAM with psychotherapy on depression and anxiety in an inpatient addiction treatment program. Male patients (N = 31) were evaluated pre and post treatment using the Beck Anxiety...
Psychopharmacology
January 14, 2020
Débora González, Jordi Cantillo, Irene Hidalgo Pérez et al.
73 citations
Abstract Rationale Recent studies have assessed the therapeutic potential of ayahuasca for the treatment of depression with promising preliminary results . Objectives Here, we examine the course of grief over 1 year of follow-up in a bereaved sample that attended a center in Peru to participate in indigenous Shipibo ayahuasca ceremonies. We also explore the roles of experiential avoidance and...
Psychopharmacology
January 11, 2020
Ashleigh Murphy-Beiner, Kirstie Soar
142 citations
The present study supports ayahuasca's ability to enhance mindfulness and further reports changes in cognitive flexibility in the 'afterglow' period occur, suggesting both could be possible psychological mechanisms concerning the psychotherapeutic effects of ayahuasca. Given psychological gains occurred regardless of prior ayahuasca use suggests potentially therapeutic effects for both naïve...
Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS)
2020
Uthaug Malin Vedøy
1 citation
The research summarized in this doctoral dissertation sought to investigate the effects of both ayahuasca and 5-MeO-DMT on mental health-related variables such as affect (depression, anxiety and stress), mindfulness related capacities (observing, describing, awareness, non-judgement, and non-reactance), empathy, creativity, and subjective well-being. The main objective motivating this...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
September 30, 2019
Maha N. Mian, Brianna R. Altman, Mitch Earleywine
47 citations
Ayahuasca, a plant-based hallucinogen that serves as a spiritual medicine in South America, has improved depression in at least one placebo-controlled clinical trial. Case studies suggest that dramatic behavioral changes often follow the Ayahuasca ceremony, but most explanations of antidepressant effects focus on changes in mindfulness. This study investigated whether both mindfulness and...