Fernanda Palhano-Fontes
Research Engineer at the Brain Institute, UFRN
Data updated
Research Footprint
Fernanda Palhano-Fontes appears in 23 tracked papers (2015–2026), most studied alongside Ayahuasca, DMT and LSD, across Healthy Volunteers, Depressive Disorders and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
Most-cited paper: Rapid antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled trial (814 citations).
Frequent co-authors: Draulio Araújo, Isabel Wießner and Lukas Wießner.
Background & Research
Fernanda Palhano-Fontes is a Brazilian neuroscientist and engineer whose pioneering research has validated the therapeutic potential of ayahuasca. Using fMRI and EEG, her work at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) has demonstrated the rapid antidepressant effects of the brew in controlled clinical settings, establishing her as a leading figure in South American psychedelic science.
Key Impact
Led the world's first double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of ayahuasca for treatment-resistant depression.
Collaboration Network
44 collaborators· click a node to visit their profile
Full network →Compounds
Topics
Top Collaborators
Affiliations
Institutions, companies, and organisations Fernanda Palhano-Fontes is associated with.
Instituto do Cérebro, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
The Instituto do Cérebro (Brain Institute, ICe) is an academic research institute of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) in Natal, Brazil, focused on neuroscience research, education and public outreach. It hosts the postgraduate Program in Neurosciences (PGNeuro) and supports related research groups and events.
View stakeholder →Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN)
Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte is a public research university in Brazil with active neuroscience and mental health research programmes, including work linked to psychedelic science through affiliated institutes.
View stakeholder →