José Carlos Bouso
PhD in Clinical Pharmacology
Scientist , ICEERS - International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research & Service , Hallucinogens and mental health
Barcelona, Spain
About
José Carlos Bouso is a Clinical Psychologist with a PhD in Pharmacology. He has developed studies about the therapeutic effects of MDMA (“ecstasy”) and psychopharmacological studies on the acute and neuropsychiatric long-term effects of many substances, both synthetic and plant origin. José Carlos coordinates at ICEERS studies on the potential benefits of psychoactive plants, principally cannabis, ayahuasca, and ibogaine, with the goal of improving public health.
Abstract
There has been a rising interest in psychedelic research over the past two decades, both from a fundamental and practical standpoint, with an emphasis on their therapeutic potential for psychiatric diseases, particularly PTSD and depression. The broader public and even mainstream television channels are now aware of psychedelics. Our research team has been conducting studies with regular ayahuasca users and individuals who have attended ayahuasca ceremonies for over a decade. We recently finished a study on regular psychedelic users during the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine. I'll give an overview of our key findings in terms of neuropsychological functioning, coping strategies, and mental and general health.
