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Cited by 105Psychedelics and Drug StudiesReligion, Spirituality, and PsychologyReligious Studies and Spiritual Practices

Psychological and neuropsychological assessment of regular hoasca users

Barbosa, Paulo Cesar Ribeiro, Strassman, Rick J., da Silveira, Dartiu Xavier, Areco, Kelsy, Hoy, Robert, Pommy, Jessica, Thoma, Robert, Bogenschutz, Michael·2016·Comprehensive Psychiatry
DOI 10.1016/j.comppsych.2016.09.003
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Abstract

Background Hoasca (also called ayahuasca) is a N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) - containing psychedelic brew originally used for magico-religious purposes by Amerindian populations of the Amazon Basin. Recently, Brazilian syncretic churches have helped spread the ritual use of hoasca to Western societies. The aim of this study was to evaluate substance use, and neuropsychological and psychological functioning of regular hoasca users within a religious setting.Methods Assessment of socio-economic status, mood, personality traits, impulsiveness, drug use, quality of life, extrinsic and intrinsic religiosity, and neuropsychological function was performed on 30 volunteers from a U.S. branch of União do Vegetal (UDV), a Brazilian religion which uses hoasca ritually. We also assessed 27 non-hoasca-using control subjects matched by socio-demographic profile and church attendance. Mann-Whitney U, chi-squared and Fisher tests were used to analyze differences between groups. Spearman's association and simple logistic regression tests were used to analyze the impact of frequency of hoasca use on dependent variables.Results Relative to the control group, the UDV group demonstrated lower scores for depression (p=0.043, r=.27) and confusion (p=0.032, r=.29) as assessed by the Profile of Mood States (POMS); higher scores on the instrument Big Five Inventory (BFI) for the personality traits agreeableness (p=0.028, r=.29) and openness (p=0.037, r=.28); higher scores on the quality life domain role limitations due to physical health as determined by the instrument Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 - SF-36 (p=0.035, r=.28); less recent use of alcohol (p<0.001, φ c=.57), greater past use of alcohol to intoxication (p=0.007, φ c=.36) and past use of cannabis (p=0.001, φ c=.45) as measured by the Addiction Severity Index (ASI), 5th edition; better score on a measure of memory vulnerability to proactive interference as measured by the California Verbal Learning Test - CVLT (p=0.040, r=.27). Lifetime use of hoasca was positively correlated with role limitations due to physical health (p=0.032, r s=.39) and negatively associated with lifetime heavy alcohol use (p=0.034, OR=0.979).Conclusions The findings indicate that religious use of hoasca does not adversely affect neuropsychological functioning and may have positive effects on substance abuse and mood.

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  • A recent study comparing personality traits between regular ayahuasca users and non-users found changes in Openness to experience.

    “as well as in a recent study comparing personality traits between regular ayahuasca users and non-users (Barbosa et al., 2016).”

    From Psychological variables implied in the therapeutic effect of ayahuasca: A contextual approach (2018) · cites this paper as Barbosa et al., 2016

  • The results are in consonance with previous studies conducted in different cultural settings and countries where ayahuasca users did not show differences in psychopathology measures compared to non-users.

    “These results are in consonance with previous studies conducted in different cultural settings and countries where ayahuasca users did not show differences in psychopathology measures compared to non-users (Barbosa et al., 2016; Bouso et al., 2012, 2015).”

    From Psychological variables implied in the therapeutic effect of ayahuasca: A contextual approach (2018) · cites this paper as Barbosa et al., 2016

  • Differences in life purpose and related variables in long-term ayahuasca users have been found.

    “differences in life purpose and related variables in long-term ayahuasca users (Barbosa et al., 2016; Bouso et al., 2012).”

    From Psychological variables implied in the therapeutic effect of ayahuasca: A contextual approach (2018) · cites this paper as Barbosa et al., 2016

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Authors
Barbosa, P. C. R., Strassman, R. J., da Silveira, D. X., Areco, K., Hoy, R., Pommy, J., Thoma, R., & Bogenschutz, M.
Affiliations
  • University of New Mexico (US)
  • Universidade Federal de São Paulo (BR)
ORCID
Venue
Comprehensive Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-11
Volume
71
Pages
95-105
ISSN
0010-440X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.comppsych.2016.09.003
OpenAlex
W2519170540
Cited by
105
References
52
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 5
FWCI
12.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Comprehensive Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • UNIFESP Institutional Repository (Universidade Federal de São Paulo) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Ministério da Educação (BEX 3584 10-0)
  • Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychedelics and Drug Studies
  • Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Religious Studies and Spiritual Practices
Keywords
ayahuasca, N,N-dimethyltryptamine, União do Vegetal, ritual drug use, depression, confusion, personality traits, agreeableness, openness to experience, quality of life, alcohol consumption, cannabis use, memory vulnerability, proactive interference, impulsivity, religiosity, substance use, neuropsychological performance
MeSH terms
Adult, Affect, Aged, Female, Hallucinogens, Humans, Male, Memory, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Personality, Personality Inventory, Quality of Life, Religion, Case-Control Studies, Banisteriopsis, Drug Users, Young Adult

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