Microphenomenology of 5-Methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT)

Abstract

5-Methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) is a naturally occurring psychedelic tryptamine, produced by a variety of plant and animal species. Plants containing 5-MeO-DMT have been used throughout history, and in recent years both synthetic and toad-derived 5-MeO-DMT use is being increasingly reported in naturalistic settings. However, its subjective effects are not well characterized in clinical research, and no qualitative research studies have been published to date. In this study, 32 psychedelic-naïve healthy participants from a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 1 trial of the escalating doses of a propriety formulation of intranasal 5-MeO-DMT (BPL-003) were interviewed using the microphenomenology method shortly after dosing sessions. Microphenomenology is a qualitative research method well-suited to elucidating how subjective effects of this short-acting psychedelic unfold over time.  Detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis of interview transcripts revealed a generic time-course of 5-MeO-DMT subjective effects, with rapid onset peaking at 8-15 minutes and gradual return to baseline over 45-60 minutes. The overall intensity of effects increased with dose. 5-MeO-DMT has a unique profile of subjective effects with a short duration of action, relative lack of visual effects, strong emotional or bodily experiences and the potential to elicit therapeutically relevant content, such as emotional breakthroughs and personal insights. 5-MeO-DMT at the doses tested was generally well tolerated and produced experiences that were often considered highly meaningful and significant by the study volunteers. This qualitative analysis can inform therapeutic applications, participant preparation, and future research on 5-MeO-DMT.

Biography

Anya is a clinical research consultant working on the clinical trials with 5-MeO-DMT, aiming to map a variety of subjective experiences of healthy volunteers and patients using microphenomenology.

As a researcher, Anya’s areas of interest include neuroscience and mental health, but also nature conservation and ethnobotany, all interweaved together through psychedelic science. Currently she stays involved both in the conservation and psychiatry research. 

Deep love for nature motivated Anya to study biology at the University of Edinburgh, while a quest to understand altered states of consciousness prompted her to complete PhD in psychiatry at Cambridge. Anya worked at the forefront of psychedelic science, starting in 2015 as a science officer for the Beckley Foundation. Anya is a member of the Council for Protection of the Sacred Plants at Chacruna Institute, and a research scientist working at Beckley Psytech in collaboration with King’s college London.