Ayahuasca in adolescence: a neuropsychological assessment.
The purpose of the study was to evaluate neuropsychologically adolescents who use ayahuasca in a religious context. A battery of neuropsychological tests was administered to adolescents who use ayahuasca. These subjects were compared to a matched control group of adolescents who did not use ayahuasca. The controls were matched with regards to sex, age, and education. The neuropsychological battery included tests of speeded attention, visual search, sequencing, psychomotor speed, verbal and visual abilities, memory, and mental flexibility. The statistical results for subjects from matched controls on neuropsychological measures were computed using independent t-tests. Overall, statistical findings suggested that there was no significant difference between the two groups on neuropsychological measures. Even though, the data overall supports that there was not a difference between ayahuasca users and matched controls on neuropsychological measures, further studies are necessary to support these findings.
Doering-Silveira
Evelyn
E
Addiction Unit (PROAD), Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil.
Lopez
Enrique
E
Grob
Charles S
CS
de Rios
Marlene Dobkin
MD
Alonso
Luisa K
LK
Tacla
Cristiane
C
Shirakawa
Itiro
I
Bertolucci
Paulo H
PH
Da Silveira
Dartiu X
DX
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D031581:Banisteriopsis / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000737:chemistry; D001938:Brazil; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*
D011619:Psychotropic Drugs