Ayahuasca, a new hope for treating symptoms of depression?
Ayahuasca, a psychedelic beverage, has generated great optimism about its ability to treat depression. A new study, “Symptomatic specificity of the effect of ayahuasca on depressive symptoms,” conducted by authors Cody Sykes Gilbert, Mitch Earleywine, Maha N. Mian, and Brianna R. Altman, examines the specific effects of ayahuasca consumption on depressive symptoms. The study found that ayahuasca had a more significant impact on affective symptoms, such as hope, depressed mood, and happiness, compared to cognitive, interpersonal, and somatic symptoms. The study suggests that ayahuasca may be most helpful in treating affective symptoms of depression and has great potential for those who seek relief similar to that obtained with serotonergic medications.
Study Reveals Surprising Link Between Cannabis Use and Lower Body Weight in Hepatitis C Patients
A study has found that patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) who use cannabis have a lower risk of obesity and central obesity. The study, which analyzed data from the French ANRS CO22 Hepather cohort, used logistic regression models to examine the inverse relationship between cannabis use and body weight in HCV patients. The results showed that current cannabis use was associated with a lower risk of central obesity, BMI-based obesity, and overweight. This relationship was also observed in former cannabis use but to a lesser extent. The study suggests that cannabis use may be a factor in reducing obesity in HCV patients, but further research is needed to confirm these findings.
