A group of researchers in Canada recently completed an initial round of pre-clinical studies of DMT (N, N-Dimethyltryptamine) and found a 40% increase in cortical neuron growth. This fascinating study is linked to a larger study attempting to explore the possibilities of isolating the therapeutics effects of DMT from its strong psychedelic effects.
"Researchers treated the primary cortical neurons of rats with DMT for a one-hour duration with different concentrations. Three days following the treatment, a study of the neurons demonstrated "...an increase of 40% in the number processes per cell was observed in the group treated with 30 nM DMT (p < 0.01; one-way ANOVA, Dunnett’s multiple comparison test). Significant growth was also observed at concentrations as low as 100 picomolar. These concentrations are well below measured levels in humans required to achieve psychedelic breakthrough." reported Leader Post.
This finding offers hope for potential future treatment options for stroke, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson's Disease.
What makes this study especially of interest for clinical research is that these results were observed with sub-hallucinogenic doses of DMT and after only a one-hour treatment session providing a hopeful potential for the development of safe, effective, and efficient treatment
options with DMT.
This brings us one step closer to the first phase I human trials of treating stroke with DMT.
DMT (N, N-Dimethyltryptamine) is a substituted tryptamine compound found in many plants and animals. DMT produces intense psychedelic visions and is held sacred by many indigenous cultures. DMT can be found in high concentrations in the Psychotria Viridis (aka Chacruna: the main psychedelic compound of the ayahuasca brew), Phalaris, Delosperma, Acacia, Desmodium, Mimosa, and Virola.
