N,N-dimethyltryptamine and the pineal gland: Separating fact from myth

Introduction

Interest has grown in the past two decades in the idea that the pineal gland produces N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and that endogenous DMT might mediate extraordinary phenomena such as dreaming, birth, and near-death out-of-body experiences. This surge in attention was catalysed in part by Rick Strassman's popular book and documentary DMT: The Spirit Molecule, and by public presentations that revived speculation about a ‘‘DMT gland’’. The pineal gland itself has a long cultural and philosophical history as the ‘‘third eye’’ or seat of the soul, which has predisposed some authors and lay audiences to accept the idea of pineal-derived DMT as an explanation for mystical experiences. Nichols sets out to examine the scientific evidence for endogenous DMT production in humans, with a particular focus on whether the pineal gland can synthesise and release DMT in physiologically relevant amounts. The review asks whether DMT is present in the body at concentrations sufficient to affect human consciousness, evaluates biochemical and pharmacological data bearing on DMT biosynthesis and transport, and considers plausible alternative neurochemical mechanisms that could account for the phenomenology attributed to endogenous DMT. The present article was motivated by a 2017 conference presentation and takes the form of a literature synthesis rather than a systematic review with prespecified search criteria.