Nascimento Júnior, Expedito Silva doPereira, Luiz Roberto Fernandes2024-10-292024-10-292024-05-10PEREIRA, Luiz Roberto Fernandes. Avaliação estereológica dos efeitos da ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis caapi e Psychotria viridis) no córtex somatossensorial de saguis (Callithrix jacchus) juvenis induzidos ao transtorno depressivo maior. Orientador: Dr. Expedito Silva do Nascimento Júnior. 2024. 63f. Dissertação (Mestrado em Biologia Estrutural e Funcional) - Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, 2024.https://repositorio.ufrn.br/handle/123456789/60435The primary somatosensory cortex, located in the postcentral gyrus, interprets sensory information from the body. People with depression may experience changes in sensory perception, possibly due to stress and depressive disorder. Ayahuasca, containing DMT, has shown rapid antidepressant effects in patients and animal models, indicating therapeutic potential and the need for studies on its use in depression. Purpose: To evaluate the effects of Ayahuasca in the treatment of depression through morphoquantitative parameters in the primary somatosensory cortex of marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). Methodology: The experimental animal used in the study was the marmoset, validated as a translational animal model of juvenile depression. Six marmosets were used for the results, divided into groups of 2 animals, randomly assigned to 3 groups: 2 in the family group (FG), 2 in the isolated group (IG), and 2 in the treated group (TG). The animals received Ayahuasca tea by gavage. Perfusion, craniotomy, microtomy were performed, and the obtained sections were stained with the Nissl technique using thionine. Stereology was used for morphoquantitative analyses of the SI to estimate total volume, neuronal number, and volume. Results: Regarding cortical volume, analyses revealed variations in the volume of the somatosensory cortex among the studied groups. The FG presented a lower volume compared to the IG and TG, while the TG showed a higher volume compared to the FG and IG. As for neuronal volume, the FG presented a significantly higher volume than IG and TG (p<0.001). The IG had a significantly lower volume than TG (p<0.001). Regarding neuronal number, in the TG, the number of neurons was lower compared to FG and higher compared to IG. Conclusions: Depression causes a decrease in neuronal volume in the SI; Ayahuasca may act as a potential promoter of neuroplasticity, leading to an increase in neuronal volume.Acesso AbertoAyahuascaCallithrixCórtex somatossensorialTranstorno depressivo maiorEstereologiaAvaliação estereológica dos efeitos da ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis caapi e Psychotria viridis) no córtex somatossensorial de saguis (Callithrix jacchus) juvenis induzidos ao transtorno depressivo maiormasterThesisCNPQ::CIENCIAS BIOLOGICAS