Depression: People with major depressive disorder may experience a rapid and sustained easing of symptoms after a single dose of the psychedelic drug dimethyltryptamine (DMT) when it is delivered alongside structured psychotherapy, according to clinicians involved in a small new trial.
The study followed 34 participants with moderate to severe treatment-resistant depression, a form of depression that has not improved after trying at least two antidepressants. In the trial’s initial phase, one group received a 21.5 mg dose of DMT administered intravenously over 10 minutes, while the other group received a placebo infusion. All participants also received psychotherapy and follow-up assessments.
Also Read | Running, swimming and dance may ease depression and anxiety, analysis shows
Doctors reported that those who received DMT showed a swift drop in depression symptom scores compared with the placebo group, with improvements that, for some participants, continued for months after the acute drug effects had ended. Follow-up suggested the antidepressant effect could persist from three to six months in some cases.
DMT is best known as a naturally occurring psychedelic and as a key ingredient in ayahuasca, a brew used in ceremonial settings in parts of South America. The substance can produce an intense, immersive psychedelic experience, often described as profoundly altered perception, a distorted sense of time and space, and a temporary shift in the sense of self. In the doses used for clinical research, the experience is typically shorter in duration but more intense than psilocybin, with effects lasting around 25 minutes, compared with several hours for psilocybin.
Researchers involved in the work said the combination of a brief dosing window and psychological support could make DMT-assisted therapy more practical to deliver in clinical settings. At the same time, they noted that the intensity of the experience means some patients may need careful preparation, monitoring, and support during recovery.
In a second phase of the trial, all participants later received DMT with therapy. However, investigators reported no clear added benefit among those who effectively received two doses in total, compared with those who had a single dose, suggesting that, at least in this early work, one session may be sufficient for some patients.
The findings arrive amid growing scientific interest in psychedelic-assisted therapies for depression, particularly for people who do not respond to existing medications or standard talking therapies. Clinicians emphasised that the latest results are still preliminary, and larger studies will be needed to confirm the effects’ reliability, duration, which patients benefit most, and how best to deliver treatment safely.
Researchers and psychiatrists also pointed to practical barriers if psychedelic therapies were ever approved for depression treatment, including the need for specialist clinical infrastructure, trained staff, and clear safeguards to prevent harm, especially if treatments are offered through private clinics under commercial pressure.
