A small clinical trial has found that a single dose of the psychedelic drug DMT, when combined with psychotherapy, can produce rapid and lasting improvements in people with major depressive disorder. The study, published in Nature Medicine, involved 34 participants with moderate to severe treatment-resistant depression.
Half of the participants received a 21.5mg intravenous infusion of DMT over 10 minutes, while the other half received a placebo. All participants underwent psychotherapy and follow-up assessments. Those given DMT showed significantly greater improvement on a standard depression questionnaire compared to the placebo group, with effects lasting from three to six months.
Dr David Erritzoe, a psychiatrist at Imperial College London and lead investigator, said: “There is an immediate antidepressant effect that is significantly sustained over a three-month period and that’s exciting because this is one session with a drug, embedded in psychological support.” The trial was funded by Cybin UK, a neuropsychiatric company.
DMT is the active ingredient in ayahuasca, a brew used in shamanic rituals in South America. It induces intense hallucinogenic experiences lasting about 25 minutes, shorter but more powerful than those produced by psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, which has also shown promise for depression.
Researchers caution that if psychedelics are approved for depression in the UK, they are likely to be available only through private clinics. Dr James Rucker, a consultant psychiatrist at King’s College London, noted uncertainties about how such treatments would fit within the current healthcare system.
