DMT - Research

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Did you know scientists are now studying DMT (N,N-dimethyltryptamine) in clinical trials — and the results are incredible? 🚀

Here are some highlights:

🔹 Treatment-Resistant Depression
A 2025 Phase 2a trial found that one day of vaporized DMT brought rapid relief to people whose depression hadn’t responded to other treatments — with benefits lasting up to 3 months!

🔹 Mental Health Boost in Healthy Volunteers
Studies show DMT can ease depression & anxiety even in non-clinical populations, with effects linked to the depth of the psychedelic experience.

🔹 Safety & Tolerability
Early trials find DMT to be well-tolerated when used in controlled settings. Most side effects are short-lived — like temporary changes in blood pressure or mild throat irritation.

🔹 Addiction & Beyond
Yale is running trials exploring DMT + therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder, while UCSD is studying its potential for chronic pain and consciousness research.

🔹 Neuroplasticity
Evidence suggests DMT may boost brain plasticity — helping rewire neural pathways linked to mood and behavior.

📖 If you’re curious, here are some of the top studies:
1️⃣ Falchi-Carvalho et al., 2025 – Vaporized DMT for depression (PubMed)
2️⃣ Timmermann et al., 2024 – Mental health outcomes in healthy volunteers (Nature)
3️⃣ Świeczkowski et al., 2025 – Systematic review on safety (PubMed)
4️⃣ Vogt et al., 2023 – Placebo-controlled IV DMT study (PMC)
5️⃣ Wießner et al., 2025 – Safety/tolerability of vaporized DMT (ScienceDirect)

• The article discusses new research suggesting that DMT (N,N-dimethyltryptamine) — a naturally occurring psychoactive compound found in plants, animals, and possibly produced in the human brain — may protect the brain against stroke. SciTechDaily
   
• In experiments with cell cultures and in animal models (rats), DMT administration was found to:
   
  • Reduce infarct volume (i.e. the area of dead tissue after stroke) and edema formation (swelling) in the brain. SciTechDaily
     
  • Restore structure and function of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in damaged brain tissue. SciTechDaily
     
  • Suppress inflammatory pathways: lower production of inflammatory cytokines in brain endothelial and peripheral immune cells, and reduce microglial activation (immune cells in the brain). SciTechDaily
     
  • These effects are proposed to act via Sigma-1 receptors, which are implicated in neuroprotection and regulation of cellular stress responses. SciTechDaily
     
• The authors suggest that DMT could be a therapeutic adjuvant (i.e. used alongside existing stroke treatments) rather than a standalone therapy. SciTechDaily
   
• Clinical trials investigating DMT’s long-term effects and therapeutic potential in human stroke recovery are currently ongoing.

Yale: Phase I randomized, double-blind study of DMT + psychotherapy in moderate to severe Alcohol Use Disorder.  Yale Medicine  

ClinicalTrials.gov: Study “Safety and Tolerability of DMT in Healthy Adults” (inhaled DMT) looking at acute/subacute effects.  ClinicalTrials.gov  

UCSD: Brain imaging studies during extended IV DMT to better understand mechanisms, and for use in conditions like chronic pain and psychiatric comorbidity.  cpr.ucsd.edu