DMT single dose reduced depression symptoms within a week in trial

A phase IIa randomized trial reported that a single intravenous dose of dimethyltryptamine (DMT) produced significant reductions in depressive symptoms within one to two weeks in adults with moderate to severe depression, with benefits persisting for months in some participants.

A phase IIa clinical trial found rapid reductions in depressive symptoms after a single dose of the psychedelic dimethyltryptamine (DMT). The study enrolled adults with moderate to severe depression who had not responded well to standard treatments. DMT is short‑acting and its subjective effects wear off within minutes, which differs from longer‑lasting psychedelics. Treatment in the trial combined a ten‑minute intravenous infusion with structured psychological support. Key findings: - The trial included 34 participants who received a single IV dose of DMT infused over 10 minutes; some participants initially received placebo before later receiving DMT to allow comparisons. - Two weeks after treatment, participants who received DMT showed significantly greater reductions in depressive symptoms than those given placebo, with many reporting relief within one week. - Improvements were measured on a standard clinical depression scale and were described as rapid and clinically meaningful; follow-up found benefits sustained for up to three months and, in some cases, up to six months. - A second dose did not produce significantly better outcomes than the single dose in this study. - The treatment was generally well tolerated; most side effects were mild to moderate and short‑lived (including nausea, transient anxiety during infusion, and injection site pain), and no serious adverse events or increases in suicidal thoughts were reported. - The study was small and lacked diversity, with most participants identifying as white; researchers called for larger, more inclusive trials. Summary: The trial indicates a single, short DMT infusion may produce rapid and sometimes sustained reductions in depressive symptoms in a small group of people with long‑standing depression. Researchers say larger, more diverse studies are needed to confirm these results, compare DMT with existing antidepressants, and better understand how psychological support and the subjective psychedelic experience influence outcomes.