A small clinical trial with 34 adults who had long-standing, treatment-resistant depression found that a single infusion of DMT paired with psychotherapy produced rapid and lasting reductions in depressive symptoms, with benefits persisting for three to six months.

Participants were split evenly to receive either a one-time 21.5 mg DMT infusion over 10 minutes or a placebo, with all participants also receiving psychotherapy and follow-up assessments.

The study involved individuals with an average of about ten years of depression who had failed at least two conventional treatments, receiving 21.5 micrograms (misprint corrected to 21.5 mg) of DMT over 10 minutes or placebo plus psychotherapeutic support.

If approved in the UK, psychedelic-assisted therapies would likely be offered through private clinics, raising debates about safety, ethics, and equitable access.

Experts suggest the rapid, short-lived psychedelic experience may create a neuroplasticity window or anti-inflammatory effects that underlie the symptom improvements, while calling for cautious, well-controlled further testing.

Researchers are aiming to develop a modified DMT form (HLP004) for anxiety and link findings to related psychedelics like 5-MeO-DMT and longer-acting compounds such as psilocybin, with regulatory and safety considerations remaining central given DMT’s controlled status.

The broader landscape shows several teams pursuing larger DMT trials and longer-acting derivatives, but regulatory approval for psychedelic therapies remains uncertain amid past FDA rejections and ongoing debates about fast-tracking pathways.

DMT’s shorter half-life may offer logistical advantages for therapy sessions, potentially reducing time, cost, and burden relative to longer-acting psychedelics.

Overall, DMT shows promise as a rapid-acting antidepressant in a controlled therapeutic setting and warrants further research before becoming routine psychiatric treatment.

The trial was designed, funded, and sponsored by Cybin UK, highlighting industry involvement in psychedelic research.

Safety was generally mild, with transient anxiety, nausea, and infusion-site pain; the experience lasts about 25 minutes and tends to correlate with the degree of therapeutic benefit.

While the initial signals are positive, larger, longer trials are needed to confirm efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness and to compare DMT with existing depression treatments.