Exploring the therapeutic potential of Ayahuasca: acute intake increases mindfulness-related capacities
This observational study (n=25) found that ayahuasca intake led to significant increases in mindfulness comparable to those obtained after extensive mindfulness practice. The authors argue that this effect may be the mediating factor responsible for ayahuasca's observed therapeutic potential.
Authors
- Jordi Riba
- Amanda Feilding
- Steven Barker
Published
Abstract
Background
Ayahuasca is a psychotropic plant tea used for ritual purposes by the indigenous populations of the Amazon. In the last two decades, its use has expanded worldwide. The tea contains the psychedelic 5-HT2A receptor agonist N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), plus β-carboline alkaloids with monoamine-oxidase-inhibiting properties. Acute administration induces an introspective dream-like experience characterized by visions and autobiographic and emotional memories. Studies of long-term users have suggested its therapeutic potential, reporting that its use has helped individuals abandon the consumption of addictive drugs. Furthermore, recent open-label studies in patients with treatment-resistant depression found that a single ayahuasca dose induced a rapid antidepressant effect that was maintained weeks after administration. Here, we conducted an exploratory study of the psychological mechanisms that could underlie the beneficial effects of ayahuasca.
Methods
We assessed a group of 25 individuals before and 24 h after an ayahuasca session using two instruments designed to measure mindfulness capacities: The Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and the Experiences Questionnaire (EQ).
Results
Ayahuasca intake led to significant increases in two facets of the FFMQ indicating a reduction in judgmental processing of experiences and in inner reactivity. It also led to a significant increase in decentering ability as measured by the EQ. These changes are classic goals of conventional mindfulness training, and the scores obtained are in the range of those observed after extensive mindfulness practice.
Conclusions
The present findings support the claim that ayahuasca has therapeutic potential and suggest that this potential is due to an increase in mindfulness capacities.
Research Summary of 'Exploring the therapeutic potential of Ayahuasca: acute intake increases mindfulness-related capacities'
Introduction
Ayahuasca is a traditional Amazonian psychotropic brew made from Banisteriopsis caapi (containing MAO-inhibiting β-carbolines such as harmine and tetrahydroharmine) combined with leaves that contain N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT). The β-carbolines prevent gastrointestinal breakdown of DMT, allowing oral psychoactivity; DMT acts at 5-HT2A and 5-HT1A receptors and interacts with the sigma-1 receptor. Interest in ayahuasca has grown because acute administration produces introspective, dream-like experiences with visions and autobiographical emotional memory retrieval, and observational and open-label studies have reported potential benefits for substance use disorders and treatment‑resistant depression. However, the psychological mechanisms underlying these putative therapeutic effects are poorly understood. Soler and colleagues designed an exploratory study to test whether a single ayahuasca session acutely enhances mindfulness-related capacities. The investigators hypothesised that aspects of the ayahuasca experience—particularly a detached perspective on thoughts and emotions—overlap with constructs targeted by secular mindfulness practice, such as non-judgement, non-reactivity, and decentering; they therefore assessed mindfulness measures before and 24 hours after ayahuasca intake to examine short-term changes in these capacities.
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Study Details
- Study Typeindividual
- Journal
- Compound
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- APA Citation
Soler, J., Elices, M., Franquesa, A., Barker, S., Friedlander, P., Feilding, A., Pascual, J. C., & Riba, J. (2016). Exploring the therapeutic potential of Ayahuasca: acute intake increases mindfulness-related capacities. Psychopharmacology, 233(5), 823-829. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-015-4162-0
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