Investigating the effect of ayahuasca on neuroplasticity and its interaction with stressful stimuli

• Grant number: 25/08434-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Neuropsychopharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Fulvio Rieli Mendes
• Grantee: Allan Falconi Souto e Silva
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Neuroplasticity is a crucial event for the development of the nervous system, which can be modified by different processes. Learning and behavior regulation, for example, are functions that depend on changes in the structure of synapses to be properly performed. Since these cognitive functions are impaired in several neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders, several studies have begun to investigate whether inducing plasticity could have therapeutic potential, and how it would occur. These studies suggest that the increase in corticosterone caused by exposure to chronic stress reduces the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), resulting in reduced plasticity, as is observed in depressive disorder. Substances capable of affecting neural plasticity, such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors and psychedelic agents, have a relevant antidepressant effect, acting mainly through the BDNF-TrkB pathway. On the other hand, the influence of environmental quality on plasticity mechanisms during treatment and the translation of preclinical results require further investigation to be properly elucidated. Thus, the present study aims to investigate the effect of these substances on neuroplasticity through assessments of behavior, biochemical markers and neuronal structure, using chronic exposure to different stressors in an animal model of depression. (AU)