BACKGROUND: The use of psychedelics is currently increasing in the United States. Awareness of clinical trials investigating the therapeutic applications of psychedelics may result in a record number of people who use psychedelics for the first-time. This study aimed to develop a harm-reduction resource to facilitate safe and successful psychedelic experiences outside of regulated clinical and...
DescriptionThis preprint proposes a new biological classification for N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT): crisis-linked endogenous consciousness modulators (cECMs). Using six mechanistically grounded, falsifiable criteria—endogenous neural biosynthesis, deep evolutionary conservation, ultra-rapid pharmacokinetics, multi-receptor promiscuity, crisis-linked release, and induction of information-rich...
Abstract Awe is a positive emotion often accompanied by sensations of vastness and unity, with known benefits for well-being and social behavior. However, its neural underpinnings remain poorly understood. We recorded electroencephalography (EEG) and autonomic physiology in 23 healthy older participants while they watched a nature-based audiovisual film and subjectively rated awe events. Awe...
Archives of ToxicologyNovember 12, 2025Gilles Salles, Carolina Aparecida de Faria Almeida, Isabella de Carvalho Alves et al.
Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew traditionally used in religious rituals by indigenous Amazonian populations and South American syncretic religions such as Santo Daime and União do Vegetal. Its psychoactive effects are primarily due to N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), while harmine (HRE), a β-carboline alkaloid, inhibits monoamine oxidase (MAO), enabling DMT's oral bioavailability. Recent studies...
FigshareNovember 10, 2025Marina D. Luccioni (22593281), Jules T. Wyman (22593284), Edgard O. Espinoza (14827902) et al.
The Sonoran Desert toad (Incilius alvarius) is the only animal known to secrete the psychedelic compound 5-MeO-DMT as a chemical defense, but the source of 5-MeO-DMT in I. alvarius remains unknown. Some amphibians produce chemical defenses endogenously or through symbiotic interactions, while others acquire them from specialized diets. In this study we analyzed toxin gland secretions and diet...
PLoS OneNovember 10, 2025Marina D. Luccioni, Jules T. Wyman, Edgard O. Espinoza et al.
The Sonoran Desert toad (Incilius alvarius) is the only animal known to secrete the psychedelic compound 5-MeO-DMT as a chemical defense, but the source of 5-MeO-DMT in I. alvarius remains unknown. Some amphibians produce chemical defenses endogenously or through symbiotic interactions, while others acquire them from specialized diets. In this study we analyzed toxin gland secretions and diet...
Ayahuasca is a brew containing the psychedelic compound N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and β-carbolines, traditionally consumed in indigenous rituals. Recent studies suggest its potential to reduce depression and anxiety and as an alternative for treating ethanol and tobacco use disorders. However, research on its impact on cocaine use disorder remains limited. To analyze the rewarding effects of...
Psychedelic clinical research is expanding rapidly. This review analyses the state and trends in psychedelic clinical trial registrations. A systematic search of ClinicalTrials.Gov was conducted on 11 November 2024, to identify registered interventional trials investigating (therapeutic) effects of serotonergic psychedelics (e.g. lysergic acid diethylamide [LSD], psilocybin, [5-MeO-]DMT)....
This study examines the existence and mechanistic underpinnings of lasting neural, cognitive, and behavioural plasticity in response to N-N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in a hazardous drinking population. It combines behavioural, neuroimaging, ecological momentary and qualitative data to gain a holistic understanding of potential mechanisms of therapeutic change following DMT. Primarily, we test...
Background: The treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) with available antidepressant drugs is characterized by considerable ineffectiveness. Classical psychedelics such as psilocybin and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), which act primarily as 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A (5-HT 2A ) receptor agonists, have shown preliminary efficacy for inducing long-term remission in MDD after one or two doses....