Could an Amazonian psychedelic treat depression?
Ayahuasca, a drug used by people in the Amazon basin, might help people with treatment-resistant depression. A new study adds to the small but growing body of evidence.
Depression impacts more than 16 million adults in the United States and more than 300 million people globally.
Although for some antidepressants can relieve symptoms, an estimated 10–30 percent do not respond to standard antidepressants.
For this reason, medical researchers are eagerly testing both novel and known compounds in the search for more effective medicines.
Recently, a team of scientists investigated the potential use of the psychedelic drug ayahuasca.
