Ayahuasca, a brew known for its psychoactive properties, has been used for centuries in South America, primarily in spiritual and religious rituals. Thanks to the resurgence of interest in psychedelic research in modern times, ayahuasca is now also being studied within controlled clinical settings to examine its effects on mental health and the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Scientific databases contain a growing body of evidence highlighting the positive effects of psychedelics in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders, including ayahuasca.

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The Global Ayahuasca Project

 

The Global Ayahuasca Project was an online survey conducted between 2017 and 2020. It analyzed the experiences of nearly 12,000 individuals who consumed the brew, with the aim of evaluating its impact on depression and anxiety symptoms, as well as subjective impressions of the psychedelic sessions. Results indicated that many participants with depressive symptoms reported significant improvement during the period they consumed ayahuasca. Furthermore, many ranked the experience among the most meaningful of their lives. The study also found a correlation between the reduction of depressive symptoms and the intensity of the mystical experience, with participants who reported stronger spiritual insights also experiencing greater symptom relief.

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Research in Spain

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A group of scientists in Spain conducted a study involving two groups: one comprising individuals who had never tried ayahuasca, and the other consisting of regular users. The first group participated in an ayahuasca ceremony, after which their depressive symptoms were assessed one month and six months post-treatment. Over 80% of participants from the first group who had significant mental health challenges reported substantial reductions in depressive symptoms lasting up to six months. The second group, consisting of experienced ayahuasca users, showed significantly lower depression levels and higher life satisfaction scores compared to the first group.

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Research in Brazil

 

Brazilian researchers evaluated the effects of a single dose of ayahuasca on depressive symptoms in seventeen patients diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression. The results showed significant symptom reduction as early as one day after the session and lasting up to 21 days. Furthermore, the study found increased blood flow in the nucleus accumbens, right insula, and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex—brain regions typically impaired in individuals with depression. Several years later, some participants were contacted again to assess whether the treatment had long-term effects. Although many described the experience as deeply meaningful, ranking it among the top ten experiences of their lives, no lasting reductions in depressive symptoms were observed from a single dose.

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Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

 

The same group of researchers later conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial to assess the efficacy of ayahuasca in treating treatment-resistant depression. The study involved 29 participants with long-term, treatment-resistant depression. Half received a single dose of ayahuasca, while the other half received a placebo brew designed to mimic the sensory characteristics of ayahuasca without any psychoactive effects. Results showed that depressive symptoms in the ayahuasca group were significantly reduced compared to the placebo group one, two, and seven days post-treatment. More recent studies by the same researchers have used similar designs to monitor biological markers of depression. These trends suggest that current research is increasingly focused on uncovering the mechanisms of action of psychedelics like ayahuasca, which may help to better understand their therapeutic potential, indications, and limitations.

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References

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1. de Sousa, G. M., et al. (2022). Moderators of ayahuasca's biological antidepressant action. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 1033816. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1033816

2. Palhano-Fontes, F., et al. (2019). Rapid antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Psychological Medicine, 49(4), 655–663. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291718001356

3. Sanches, R. F., et al. (2016). Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: A SPECT study. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 36(1), 77–81. https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0000000000000436

4. Santos, R. G., et al. (2018). Long-term effects of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a 5-year qualitative follow-up. Archives of Clinical Psychiatry, 45(1), 22–24. https://doi.org/10.1590/0101-60830000000149

5. Sarris, J., et al. (2021). Ayahuasca use and reported effects on depression and anxiety symptoms: An international cross-sectional study of 11,912 consumers. Journal of Affective Disorders, 4, 100098.

6. Jiménez-Garrido, D. F., et al. (2020). Effects of ayahuasca on mental health and quality of life in näïve users: A longitudinal and cross-sectional study combination. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 4075. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-61169-x

7. Palhano-Fontes, F., et al. (2022). Ayahuasca for the treatment of depression. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences, 56, 113–124. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2021_277