Ayahuasca in adolescence: a neuropsychological assessment

Introduction

Earlier qualitative and ethnographic work has examined the ritual use of ayahuasca within Brazilian religious groups and raised questions about its psychosocial and cognitive consequences for adults and adolescents. Dobkin De Rios and colleagues note that understanding ayahuasca's effects in youth requires attention not only to neuropsychological performance but also to the sociocultural context in which sacramental use occurs, because religious structure, family involvement and community norms may shape outcomes. This study sets out to assess the effects of long-term, ceremonial ayahuasca use on adolescent cognitive functioning and social characteristics. Using a combination of neuropsychological testing (mentioned in the title) and qualitative methods, the investigators compared adolescents who are members of the União do Vegetal (UDV) church with school-based control peers, aiming to characterise differences in family life, social integration, moral/ethical reasoning and prior substance use within this legal religious context.