On the transmethylation hypothesis: stress, N,N-dimethyltryptamine, and positive symptoms of psychosis.
Dionysios Grammenos, Steven A. Barker
Journal of Neural Transmission June 2015 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-014-1329-5 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | 5-MeO-DMT DMT |
| Key points | Argues that endogenous DMT may act as a biological mediator between stress and positive symptoms of psychosis, citing rodent evidence that stress raises DMT levels, associations between elevated DMT and positive psychotic features in patients, and predominantly positive symptoms in healthy people given exogenous DMT. |
Abstract
Past research suggests a relationship between stress and positive symptoms of psychosis. However, the biological substrate of this relationship remains unknown. According to the transmethylation hypothesis, schizophrenia could result from a biochemical disruption in the stress mechanism. This biochemical disruption would lead to the production of a substance that would account for the symptoms of psychosis. Moreover, some studies have tested endogenous N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in the context of the transmethylation hypothesis. Stress has been found to elevate DMT levels in rodents. Also, elevated DMT levels have been associated with positive features of psychosis in psychiatric patients. Additionally, healthy participants treated with exogenous DMT experience predominantly positive symptoms of psychosis. The present paper examines endogenous DMT as a possible biological mediator of the relationship between stress and positive symptoms of psychosis.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on 5-MeO-DMT, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| When the Endogenous Hallucinogenic Trace AmineN,N-Dimethyltryptamine Meets the Sigma-1 Receptor | 2009 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Analytical chemistry of synthetic routes to psychoactive tryptamines : Part I. Characterisation of the Speeter and Anthony synthetic route to 5-methoxy-N,N-diisopropyltryptamine using ESI-MS-MS and ESI-TOF-MS | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Enlightening the "Spirit Molecule": Photomodulation of the 5-HT2A Receptor by a Light-Controllable N,N-Dimethyltryptamine Derivative. | 2022 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Conformational, spectroscopic and nonlinear optical properties of biologically active N,N-dimethyltryptamine molecule: a theoretical study. | 2014 | Theoretical or computational study | |
| Simple syntheses of lespedamine and 5-bromo-n,n-dimethyltryptamine based on 1-hydroxyindole chemistry | 1995 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 16
- Neuropharmacology of N,N-dimethyltryptamine Brain Research Bulletin April 30, 2016
- N, N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), an Endogenous Hallucinogen: Past, Present, and Future Research to Determine Its Role and Function Frontiers in Neuroscience August 6, 2018
- Ayahuasca, dimethyltryptamine, and psychosis: a systematic review of human studies Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology February 23, 2017
- Survey of entity encounter experiences occasioned by inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine: Phenomenology, interpretation, and enduring effects. Journal of Psychopharmacology September 1, 2020
- Dark Classics in Chemical Neuroscience:N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) ACS Chemical Neuroscience July 23, 2018
and 11 more in the library
Cites 21
- Psychosis as a state of aberrant salience: a framework linking biology, phenomenology, and pharmacology in schizophrenia. American Journal of Psychiatry 2003
- Amphetamine, 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, and Metabolites of the Catecholamine Neurotransmitters Are Agonists of a Rat Trace Amine Receptor Molecular Pharmacology December 1, 2001
- 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
- Increased frontal and paralimbic activation following ayahuasca, the pan-amazonian inebriant Psychopharmacology March 30, 2006
and 16 more in the library