The Potential Use of Dimethyltryptamine against Ischemia-reperfusion Injury of the Brain
Attila Kovács, Anna Mathe, Ede Frecska
Journal of Neuroscience and Neurological Disorders April 19, 2024 DOI: 10.29328/journal.jnnd.1001097 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstractAbstract
Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury (IRI) is the outcome of two intertwined pathological processes resulting from the shortage of blood flow to tissues and the subsequent restoration of circulation to a previously ischemic area. IRI (sometimes just one side of the dyad) remains one of the most challenging problems in several branches of emergency medicine. Mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum dysfunction is a crucial pathological factor involved in the development of IRI. The sigma-1 receptor (Sig1-R) is an intracellular chaperone molecule located between the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum with an apparent physiological role in regulating signaling between these cell organelles and serves as a safety mechanism against cellular stress. Therefore, amelioration of IRI is reasonably expected by the activation of the Sig1-R chaperone. Indeed, under cellular stress, Sig1-R agonists improve mitochondrial respiration and optimize endoplasmic reticulum function by sustaining high-energy phosphate synthesis. The discovery that N, N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is an endogenous agonist of the Sig1-R may shed light on yet undiscovered physiological mechanisms and therapeutic potentials of this controversial hallucinogenic compound. In this article, the authors briefly overview the function of Sig1-R in cellular bioenergetics with a focus on the processes involved in IRI and summarize the results of their in vitro and in vivo DMT studies aiming at mitigating IRI. The authors conclude that the effect of DMT may involve a universal role in cellular protective mechanisms suggesting therapeutic potentials against different components and types of IRIs emerging in local and generalized brain ischemia after stroke or cardiac arrest.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on DMT, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neuropharmacology of N,N-dimethyltryptamine | 2016 | Review | |
| N, N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), an Endogenous Hallucinogen: Past, Present, and Future Research to Determine Its Role and Function Humans and animals (general) | 2018 | Review | |
| Psychedelic 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine: metabolism, pharmacokinetics, drug interactions, and pharmacological actions. Humans (pharmacokinetics) | 2010 | Review | |
| Pharmahuasca: Human Pharmacology of Oral DMT Plus Harmine Human self-experimenters | 1999 | Review | n = 8 |
| The psychedelic model of schizophrenia: the case of N,N- dimethyltryptamine | 1976 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cites 20
- The Hallucinogen N,N -Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) Is an Endogenous Sigma-1 Receptor Regulator Science February 13, 2009
- Dose-Response Study of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine in Humans Archives of General Psychiatry February 1, 1994
- Risk assessment of ritual use of oral dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and harmala alkaloids Addiction December 20, 2006
- Psychedelic N,N-dimethyltryptamine and 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine modulate innate and adaptive inflammatory responses through the sigma-1 receptor of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells. PLoS One 2014
- A critical review of reports of endogenous psychedelic N, N-dimethyltryptamines in humans: 1955-2010. Drug Testing and Analysis 2012
and 15 more in the library