Long-term use of psychedelic drugs is associated with differences in brain structure and personality in humans

dc.contributor.authorBouso, José Carlos
dc.contributor.authorPalhano-Fontes, Fernanda
dc.contributor.authorRodríguez-Fornells, Antoni
dc.contributor.authorRibeiro, Sidarta Tollendal Gomes
dc.contributor.authorSanches, Rafael
dc.contributor.authorCrippa, José Alexandre S.
dc.contributor.authorHallak, Jaime E.C.
dc.contributor.authorAraújo, Dráulio Barros de
dc.contributor.authorRiba, Jordi
dc.date.accessioned2017-05-29T14:28:10Z
dc.date.available2017-05-29T14:28:10Z
dc.date.issued2015
dc.description.resumoPsychedelic agents have a long history of use by humans for their capacity to induce profound modifications in perception, emotion and cognitive processes. Despite increasing knowledge of the neural mechanisms involved in the acute effects of these drugs, the impact of sustained psychedelic use on the human brain remains largely unknown. Molecular pharmacology studies have shown that psychedelic 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT)2A agonists stimulate neurotrophic and transcription factors associated with synaptic plasticity. These data suggest that psychedelics could potentially induce structural changes in brain tissue. Here we looked for differences in cortical thickness (CT) in regular users of psychedelics. We obtained magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images of the brains of 22 regular users of ayahuasca (a preparation whose active principle is the psychedelic 5HT2A agonist N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT)) and 22 controls matched for age, sex, years of education, verbal IQ and fluid IQ. Ayahuasca users showed significant CT differences in midline structures of the brain, with thinning in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), a key node of the default mode network. CT values in the PCC were inversely correlated with the intensity and duration of prior use of ayahuasca and with scores on self-transcendence, a personality trait measuring religiousness, transpersonal feelings and spirituality. Although direct causation cannot be established, these data suggest that regular use of psychedelic drugs could potentially lead to structural changes in brain areas supporting attentional processes, self-referential thought, and internal mentation. These changes could underlie the previously reported personality changes in long-term users and highlight the involvement of the PCC in the effects of psychedelics.pt_BR
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.euroneuro.2015.01.008
dc.identifier.urihttps://repositorio.ufrn.br/jspui/handle/123456789/23185
dc.languageengpt_BR
dc.rightsAcesso Abertopt_BR
dc.subjectAyahuascapt_BR
dc.subjectCortical thicknesspt_BR
dc.subjectN,N-dimethyltryptaminept_BR
dc.subjectPersonalitypt_BR
dc.subjectPsychedelicspt_BR
dc.titleLong-term use of psychedelic drugs is associated with differences in brain structure and personality in humanspt_BR
dc.typearticlept_BR

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