A recent study sheds light on the neural mechanisms that might underlie the therapeutic benefits of the traditional psychoactive brew known as ayahuasca. The study found that the powerful concoction helps to reduce the fear response in rats, working equally well on both new and old fear memories. This effect appears to be caused by ayahuasca’s interaction with specific serotonin receptors in the brain. The findings have been published in the British Journal of Pharmacology. Ayahuasca is typically made from the leaves of the Psychotria viridis bush and the vines of the Banisteriopsis caapi. Thi…