This psychedelic drug might be the cure for depression
What's the story
A clinical trial has shown that a single dose of the psychedelic drug dimethyltryptamine (DMT), when combined with psychotherapy, can bring about rapid and long-lasting improvements in patients suffering from depression. The small-scale study involved 34 participants and found that those who underwent psychedelic-assisted therapy, experienced an immediate reduction in depressive symptoms that lasted well beyond the effects of the drug itself.
Sustained impact
'Exciting' antidepressant effect
Dr. David Erritzoe, a psychiatrist at Imperial College London and the trial's 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 findings add to the growing evidence that psychedelic drugs could be effective in treating depression when combined with psychotherapy.
Trial details
Trial focused on treatment-resistant depression
The trial, published in Nature Medicine, focused on patients with moderate to severe treatment-resistant depression. Half of the participants were given a single 21.5mg dose of DMT infused into their veins over 10 minutes while the other half were given a placebo in the same way. All participants underwent psychotherapy and follow-up assessments. Those who received DMT showed significant improvement compared to those who got the placebo, with antidepressant effects lasting three to six months.
Psychedelic profile
Second phase of trial showed no extra benefit
DMT is a key ingredient in ayahuasca, a brew used in South American shamanistic rituals. The drug produces intense, often mystical hallucinogenic experiences that can change people's perception of time and space, dissolve their sense of self, and even create encounters with otherworldly beings. In the second phase of the trial, all participants were given a dose of DMT with therapy but no extra benefit was seen in those who had two doses overall.
Therapeutic advantage
Psychedelics thought to enhance psychotherapy effects
Psychedelics like DMT are thought to enhance the effects of psychotherapy by helping patients break free from unhelpful thinking patterns. Dr. Erritzoe compared this effect to shaking up snow on a mountain, making it easier for people to find new routes. At doses used in trials, the DMT produces a shorter but more intense trip than psilocybin (an active ingredient in magic mushrooms), which might make DMT-assisted therapy easier for clinics to deliver.