Extended DMT Trips

When ingested orally, N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is rapidly metabolized in the gastrointestinal system by monoamine oxidase (MAO) which renders it psychologically inactive. In both recreational and ritual settings, DMT is commonly given in the form of ayahuasca, a brew containing DMT and harmala alkaloids that inhibit MAO, which upon oral ingestion, leads to alterations in consciousness lasting for 4–6 h. Alternatively, DMT can be inhaled (vaping/smoking), or administered parenterally (e.g., intramuscularly, or intravenously as a bolus). These forms of administration result in a very short duration of subjective effects: when administered via bolus intravenous (IV) injection, DMT’s subjective effects begin within seconds, reaching their peak intensity within 2–3 min and subsiding thereafter, with negligible effects felt after about 30 min. IV DMT administration allows for precise control over dosing, which makes it the preferred route of administration for investigating its effects in humans. DMT appears to be physiologically safe at effective doses and repeated administrations of bolus IV DMT do not produce any obvious psychological tolerance – for example, four doses of DMT have been safely administered in a single session apparently without diminished psychological effects; this property, combined with the rapid onset, short time-course and specific character of its effects, makes DMT possibly unique among serotonergic psychedelics and suitable for continuous IV administration.

Neural correlates of the DMT experience assessed with multivariate EEG

It is not uncommon for people to describe encounters with sentient ‘entities’ or ‘presences’ within this perceived other world and for the experience to subsequently challenge beliefs about the nature of reality and consciousness.

Dr. Chris Timmermann obtained his PhD (2020) working with Robin Carhart-Harris, and David Nutt, and led the DMT Research Group (2020-2024) at Imperial College London at the Centre for Psychedelic Research. He currently is the co-director of the UCL Centre for Consciousness Research where he investigates the impact of meditation and psychedelics in the mind and brain and is the founder and director for the ECOH Foundation for the Study of Human Consciousness.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/VGBh4RK6JSc



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