Higher signal diversity, network dysregulation, and increased well-being under DMT administration: An EEG study.
Eleni Kroupi, Helena Araujo, Cas Oosterveld, Christopher Timmermann, Fernando E. Rosas, Robin Carhart-Harris, Giulio Ruffini, Aureli Soria-Frisch
Brain Research September 7, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2026.150530 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 13 |
| Population | Healthy participants |
| Interventions | DMT saline placebo |
| Measures | Lempel-Ziv-Welch (LZW) complexity, Higuchi fractal dimension (HFD), permutation entropy (PE), waveform complexity (WC), weighted symbolic mutual information (wSMI), beta-to-alpha ratio (BAR), frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) |
| Topics | DMT |
| Keywords | EEG Emotions Functional connectivity Lempel-ziv Psychedelics Higuchi fractal dimension Waveform complexity |
| Key findings | DMT reduced broadband EEG connectivity, network segregation, and efficiency, while Higuchi fractal dimension and permutation entropy showed band-specific complexity increases that correlated with subjective intensity. Beta-to-alpha ratio and frontal alpha asymmetry also increased and correlated with perceived intensity, which the authors interpret as greater neural unpredictability and emotional arousal consistent with the Entropic Brain theory. |
Abstract
N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a potent serotonin-2A receptor agonist, elicits intense psychedelic experiences and has become a focus of interest in neuroscience and mental health research. While EEG studies of psychedelics typically report reduced alpha power, increased delta power, and enhanced signal complexity-primarily assessed using Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZc)-less is known about DMT's effects on other complexity metrics, EEG-based connectivity, and emotional correlates. This study investigated the effects of intravenous DMT versus saline placebo in 13 healthy participants using EEG. We analyzed spectral power, brain signal complexity, and functional connectivity, and examined their associations with emotional responses and subjective intensity ratings. Four complexity measures were evaluated: Lempel-Ziv-Welch (LZW) complexity, Higuchi fractal dimension (HFD), permutation entropy (PE), and waveform complexity (WC). Connectivity was assessed using weighted symbolic mutual information (wSMI), with network segregation and efficiency inferred from clustering coefficient and path length. Emotional correlates included beta-to-alpha ratio (BAR, an indicator of arousal) and frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA, an indicator of well-being). DMT significantly reduced broadband wSMI connectivity, segregation, and efficiency, particularly in alpha and beta bands in posterior and frontoparietal regions. Complexity metrics positively correlated with subjective intensity; HFD and PE were the most sensitive, revealing increased complexity in beta/gamma and decreased complexity in delta/theta/alpha bands under DMT. BAR and FAA both increased under DMT, correlating with perceived intensity. These findings suggest that DMT induces greater neural unpredictability and emotional arousal, consistent with the Entropic Brain theory. The results highlight a dynamic brain state that may support therapeutic brain network reorganization relevant for psychiatric treatment.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on DMT, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dose-Response Study of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine in Humans Experienced hallucinogen users | 1994 | Double-blind, saline placebo-controlled, randomized study | n = 12 |
| DMT Models the Near-Death Experience Healthy participants | 2018 | Within-subjects placebo-controlled study | n = 13 |
| Human brain effects of DMT assessed via EEG-fMRI. Healthy volunteers | 2023 | Within-subjects, placebo-controlled design | n = 20 |
| Psychological Effects of (S)-Ketamine and N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT): A Double-Blind, Cross-Over Study in Healthy Volunteers Healthy volunteers | 2005 | Double-blind crossover study | n = 9 |
| Differential tolerance to biological and subjective effects of four closely spaced doses of N,N-dimethyltryptamine in humans Experienced hallucinogen users | 1996 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 13 |
Citations in the library
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