Speaker Bio
Fernanda Palhano-Fontes is an electrical engineer with dual degrees: one from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte and another from the École National Supérieure d'Électrotechnique, d'Électronique, d'Informatique, ENSEEIHT, Toulouse/France. She holds a master's and a doctoral degree in Neuroscience from the Brain Institute at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. During her master's research, she utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess the acute effects of ayahuasca in healthy volunteers. In her doctoral studies, she investigated the antidepressant effect of ayahuasca in patients with treatment-resistant depression. Since 2017, she has been a research engineer at the Brain Institute, where she is currently researching the use of DMT and ketamine for depression.
ICPR 2024 Abstract
The antidepressant effects of ayahuasca: a randomized controlled trial
Background: The use of ayahuasca, an indigenous brew from the Amazonian basin with psychedelic properties, has increased worldwide, and its therapeutic value has been investigated.
Research Question and Hypothesis: This trial aimed to investigate the antidepressant effects of ayahuasca and explore its subacute effects on various markers, including psychiatric scales, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), saliva, and blood tests.
Methods: We conducted a randomized placebo-controlled trial with ayahuasca in 35 patients with treatment-resistant depression and 50 healthy individuals. Assessments occurred one day before and one day after the dosing session with ayahuasca or placebo. Depression severity was also assessed two and seven days after the dosing session.
Findings: The results suggest a significant antidepressant effect of ayahuasca with rapid onset, already one day after a single session with ayahuasca. Compared to placebo, between-group differences increased from one day (Cohen’s d = 0.8) to seven days (Cohen’s d = 1.4) after dosing. Additionally, we observed subacute changes in brain networks and biochemical markers such as cortisol, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and c-reactive protein.
Conclusion: The results provide support for the use of ayahuasca in treating treatment-resistant depression. The observed antidepressant effects were accompanied by changes in various systems, including hormonal, inflammatory, and immune systems, as well as brain functions related to perception, memory, attention, emotion, and cognition. These observations highlight the multifactorial nature of ayahuasca effects, spanning from biochemical changes to subtle cognitive processes.