DMT for Depressive Disorders

25 papers and 3 clinical trials exploring dmt as a treatment for depressive disorders.

CompoundTryptamine

DMT

A powerful, short-acting tryptamine psychedelic found in many botanical sources, known for rapid onset and intense subjective experiences.

Full DMT profile
IndicationApproximately 260 million people worldwide are affected by depression.

Depressive Disorders

Depressive disorders, particularly major depressive disorder (MDD), are significant contributors to global mental health issues. Research into the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, such as psilocybin and ketamine, offers promising avenues for treatment, especially for cases that are resistant to conventional therapies.

Full Depressive Disorders profile

Academic Research

25 papers
Paywallindividual

A phase 2 uncontrolled, open-label study of intranasal BPL-003 (5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine) in patients with treatment-resistant depression

In a 12‑week, open‑label phase 2a trial of a single 10 mg intranasal dose of 5‑methoxy‑N,N‑dimethyltryptamine (BPL‑003) in 12 patients with treatment‑resistant major depressive disorder, the drug was generally well tolerated with mostly mild–moderate adverse events and rapid discharge readiness (median ~98 minutes). A rapid and sustained mean MADRS reduction of 12–13 points was observed across Days 2–85, with most participants meeting response criteria and several achieving remission, supporting further evaluation in larger controlled trials.

Published
Journal
Journal of Psychopharmacology
Authors
Roberts, C., Seynaeve, M., Ermakova, A. O., Dunbar, F., Wells, H., Puri, A., Bird, C., Rucker, J. J.
Open Accessindividual

A novel psychedelic 5-HT2A receptor agonist GM-2505: The pharmacokinetic, safety, and pharmacodynamic profile from a randomized trial healthy volunteer

In a randomized, placebo‑controlled ascending‑dose study in 48 healthy volunteers, single IV doses of GM‑2505 up to 20 mg were well tolerated and showed dose‑proportional pharmacokinetics (t1/2 40–50 min) with dose‑dependent neuroendocrine, neurophysiological and subjective psychedelic effects, including decreased theta/alpha and increased gamma EEG power. The duration of cardiovascular and subjective effects was intermediate between psilocybin and DMT, indicating a practical 10–15 mg IV dose range for supervised clinical use.

Published
Journal
Journal of Psychopharmacology
Authors
Austin, E. W., Borghans, L. G. J. M., Christian, E. P., Dvorak, D., Hughes, Z. A., Jacobs, G., Juachon, M. J., Klein, A. K., Krol, F. J., Kruegel, A. C., Leong, W., Makai-Bölöni, S., Marek, G. J., Otto, M. E., Raines, S., Sporn, J., Umbricht, D., van der Graaf, A. J., Winters, J.
Open Accessindividual

Evaluation of the peak experience scale as a rapid assessment tool for the strength of a psychoactive experience with 5-MeO-DMT

The three-item Peak Experience Scale (PES) reliably and rapidly measures the strength of 5‑MeO‑DMT experiences, showing dose-related increases, a single PCA component explaining 83.5% of variance, high internal consistency (α = 0.896) and strong correlations with established measures (MEQ-30, EDI, 5D-ASC) but not the CEQ. The authors conclude the PES could be used to gain fast insight into psychedelic intensity in individual patients and to guide dose and re-dose decisions for rapid-acting psychedelics.

Published
Journal
Frontiers in Psychology
Authors
Mason, N. L., Ramaekers, J. G., Reckweg, J., Svendsen, C. B., Terwey, T. H., Theunissen, E. L.
Paywallindividual

Rapid and sustained antidepressant effects of vaporized N,N-dimethyltryptamine: a phase 2a clinical trial in treatment-resistant depression

This open-label fixed-order dose-escalation trial (n=14) evaluated inhaled DMT (15mg & 60mg) for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) for the first time. Results showed rapid and sustained antidepressant effects with a 21-point reduction on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale by day 7 (p<0.001), an 86% response rate, and a 57% remission rate lasting up to 3 months, with significant decreases in suicidal ideation (SI).

Published
Journal
Neuropsychopharmacology
Authors
Almeida, R., Araújo, D. B., Arcoverde, E., Arichelle, F., Barbosa, D. C., Barros, H., Bolcont, R., Costa-Macedo, J. V., da Costa Bezerra, R. B., da Cruz Nunes, J. A., Dantas Correa, L., de Araujo Costa Neto, L. A., Falchi-Carvalho, M., Florence-Vilela, R., Galvão-Coelho, N. L., Laborde, S., Macedo, R. K. A., Montanini, D., Nunes Ferreira, L. F., Palhano-Fontes, F., Pantrigo, E. J., Silva, S. R. B., Teixeira, E., Wießner, I.

Clinical Trials

3 trials

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