Single Dose of DMT Rapidly Reduces Symptoms of Major Depression

Source: Slashdot

Study Overview

A small double‑blind clinical trial found that a single intravenous dose of DMT produced rapid and clinically meaningful reductions in symptoms of major depressive disorder within a week, with effects lasting up to three months in some patients. Unlike psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), whose effects can last for hours, intravenous DMT has a half‑life of around five minutes, making its psychedelic effects brief and potentially more practical for clinical settings. See the report on ScienceAlert: ScienceAlert.

Methodology

• Participants: 34 individuals diagnosed with major depression.
• Design: Double‑blind, placebo‑controlled trial, followed by an open‑label stage.
• Intervention:
  • Stage 1: One group received an intravenous dose of DMT; the other received an active placebo. Doses were administered over ~10 minutes while a therapist sat silently with each participant.
  • Stage 2 (open‑label): Two weeks after the first dose, all participants were offered a DMT dose.

Assessments were conducted using the Montgomery‑Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) before dosing and at multiple follow‑up points.

Results

• Rapid improvement: One week after the first dose, the DMT group showed significantly better MADRS scores than the placebo group.
• Magnitude of change: Two weeks post‑dose, the DMT group scored about seven points lower on average than the placebo group—a reduction considered clinically meaningful.
• Dose frequency: No significant difference was observed between participants who received one versus two doses, suggesting a single dose may be sufficient.
• Durability: Benefits persisted for up to three months, with some patients remaining in remission for at least six months.
• Safety: The treatment was generally well tolerated. Common mild‑to‑moderate side effects included nausea, temporary anxiety, and injection‑site pain. Brief increases in heart rate and blood pressure were noted immediately after dosing, but no serious adverse events were reported.

Publication

The findings were published in Nature Medicine: doi:10.1038/s41591-025-04154-z.