Not sure if this is the right subforum to put this in, but I couldn't find a better one. This is related to DMT and all other psychedelics. Also I think this thread will get the most insight from this sub forum. With that said...

I've seen a few posts about MAOI's strengthening serotoninergic connections. Does anyone have a whitepaper or a good reference on this? This seems counterintuitive to me. I would think it would also lead to receptor down regulation due to the extra neurotransmitters activating receptors everywhere.

Also my thinking is that a traditional anti-depressant such as trazodone would also help with this by not allowing the already down regulated receptors to be activated, thereby speeding the recovery process for those who find themselves in a situation in which they are unable to trip due to 5HT2 down regulation.

Any information you have on this subject is appreciated. SWIM is trying to put together all the data on this subject.

Its specific to the MAOI's in caapi and rue I think...it's not beacuse of a huge surge in seratonin levels..it's becasue ayahuaca has been found to help grow more receptor sites...If you are trying to view it from the angle of MDMA..where it just lets the brain flood with seratonin it might seem counterintuitive..

I dont have the time right now to dig up the papers on this..but a simple google seach should give you some info on it..all I know is that caapi tea had been found to help the brain build more 5-HT2 receptor sites..so that the brain can make better use of the seratonin that is provided to it.

I'm not sure the info you are looking for is in here, but it's a good read nonetheless.

Another study can be found here: http://www.maps.org/news...ters/v08n3/08312rib.html

Here is what you are looking for I believe: http://www.springerlink....ontent/y5q8605810v415j3/

And yet another one: http://www.biopark.org/peru/udv-serotonin.html

"Blood platelets were also collected from the control group. 5-HT uptake activity was measured in platelets by displacing [3 H] citalopram with unlabelled paroxetine. A statistically significant (p= 0.006) difference was found between the two groups; the tea drinkers had a higher density (Bmax) of 5-HT uptake sites when compared to the control group and literature values, with an overall increased regulation of about 25% (Callaway et al.1994). "

Even can be found (w/ source) HERE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayahuasca

"The studies found that all the ayahuasca-using UDV members had experienced remission without recurrence of their addictions, depression, or anxiety disorders. Unlike most common anti-depressants, which Grob says can create such high levels of serotonin that cells may actually compensate by losing many of their serotonin receptors, the Hoasca Project showed that ayahuasca strongly enhances the body’s ability to absorb the serotonin that’s naturally there [4]. 'Ayahuasca is perhaps a far more sophisticated and effective way to treat depression than SSRIs [antidepressant drugs],' Grob concludes, adding that the use of SSRIs is 'a rather crude way' of doing it. And ayahuasca, he insists, has great potential as a long-term solution in maintaining abstinence."

http://www.dmt-nexus.me/...ts&m=13257#post13257

check the paper burnt links