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Ayahuasca as a Versatile Therapeutic Agent: From Molecules to Metacognition and Back

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Ayahuasca Healing and Science

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Abstract

In this chapter, we review the latest research on the neuroscience and therapeutic potential of ayahuasca. Currently, the type of research available ranges from in vitro experiments to clinical studies performed to assess the modulation of neural and psychological processes. We also discuss the most recently reported findings, including (a) the neurobiological effects of ayahuasca, (b) the psychological mechanisms underlying the potential therapeutic effects of ayahuasca, (c) ayahuasca-induced metabolic and connectivity changes, and (d) the possible link with mindfulness-related capacities and emotion regulation. We also examine the effects of ayahuasca at the cellular level to better explore the role of β-carbolines and the neurogenetic properties of these alkaloids. These important findings indicate that these compounds, which still play a minor role in the overall pharmacology of ayahuasca, merit greater attention. Our aim is to show the remarkable versatility of ayahuasca as a therapeutic agent. Ayahuasca interacts with the brain–mind complex on multiple levels, and could be a powerful tool to help patients with neuropsychiatric disorders who are unable to find relief through currently available treatments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Modelling and Simulation, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain

    Marta Valle, Juan Carlos Pascual & Joaquim Soler

  2. Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, UAB, Birmingham, AL, USA

    Elisabet Domínguez-Clavé

  3. Borderline Personality Disorder Unit, Psychiatry Service, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain

    Elisabet Domínguez-Clavé & Matilde Elices

  4. Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, UAB, Birmingham, AL, USA

    Juan Carlos Pascual & Joaquim Soler

  5. Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain

    José A. Morales-García & Ana Pérez-Castillo

  6. Department of Cellular Biology, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    José A. Morales-García

  7. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain

    Ana Pérez-Castillo

  8. Human Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain

    Jordi Riba

  9. Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Masstricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Jordi Riba

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  1. Marta Valle
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  2. Elisabet Domínguez-Clavé
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  3. Matilde Elices
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  4. Juan Carlos Pascual
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  5. Joaquim Soler
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  6. José A. Morales-García
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  7. Ana Pérez-Castillo
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  8. Jordi Riba
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Juan Carlos Pascual .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Beatriz Caiuby Labate

  2. Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Clancy Cavnar

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Valle, M. et al. (2021). Ayahuasca as a Versatile Therapeutic Agent: From Molecules to Metacognition and Back. In: Labate, B.C., Cavnar, C. (eds) Ayahuasca Healing and Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-55688-4_1

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