Significance of mammalian N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT): a 60-year-old debate
Authors:
Javier Hidalgo Jiménez and José Carlos Bouso.
Journal:
Journal of Psychopharmacology
Year:
2022
About the study
This study explores historical and recent literature regarding endogenous DMT, with a special interest in the most controversial topics. It also delves into technical aspects that are not discussed in other reviews, in order to offer new insights.
We know that DMT is not relevant as a trace amine-like neuromodulator in humans. In contrast, data strongly suggest that DMT behaves like a neurotransmitter acting through serotonergic receptors, but it also has its own biological meaning, involving neuroplasticity, tissue protection, circadian regulation, an unusual way of exciting postsynaptic neurons, broad cortical dynamics and perhaps cerebrospinal fluid secretion and sleep cycles.
If molecules like DMT influence important aspects of being human, like consciousness or dreams, we will need to reconsider legal, political and philosophical perspectives on psychedelics.
Abstract
N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a potent psychedelic naturally produced by many plants and animals, including humans. Whether or not DMT is significant to mammalian physiology, especially within the central nervous system, is a debate that started in the early 1960s and continues to this day. This review integrates historical and recent literature to clarify this issue, giving special attention to the most controversial subjects of DMT’s biosynthesis, its storage in synaptic vesicles and the activation receptors like sigma-1. Less discussed topics, like DMT’s metabolic regulation or the biased activation of serotonin receptors, are highlighted. We conclude that most of the arguments dismissing endogenous DMT’s relevance are based on obsolete data or misleading assumptions. Data strongly suggest that DMT can be relevant as a neurotransmitter, neuromodulator, hormone and immunomodulator, as well as being important to pregnancy and development. Key experiments are addressed to definitely prove what specific roles DMT plays in mammalian physiology.
Photo by Hans Veth on Unsplash.
Categories:
Studies & papers
, Psychedelics
Tags:
scientific research
, study
, DMT
, psychedelics
, hallucinogens