Latest news with #N-dimethyltryptamine
NDTV
09-05-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Struggling With Alcohol Consumption? Psychedelics Could Offer A Way Out
Psychedelics could be used to help people reduce their alcohol dependence, a new study currently underway has claimed. For people who struggle to control their drinking, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to serious physical, mental and social consequences. Since traditional experiments do not work for most, scientists at the University College London (UCL) have sought alternatives such as psychedelics The researchers are focusing on N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a fast-acting psychedelic, whose effects kick in almost immediately when administered intravenously. DMT is the active ingredient in the Amazonian brew ayahuasca, which has a long history of ceremonial use in South America. DMT was particularly chosen as it can impact neuroplasticity -- the brain's ability to form new neural connections. This temporary boost could open a window of flexibility, allowing some people to be more open to change. "Excessive drinking is partly driven by alcohol hijacking the brain's built-in motivation and reward system. We are seeking to counteract that with our treatment. DMT has some interesting effects on the plasticity of our brains, so we hope it can help 'rewrite' the reward associations people have with alcohol," said Professor Ravi Das, co-director of UCL's Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit and joint-lead of the study. Study underway The study is currently underway, where volunteers (mostly heavy drinkers) are given DMT, a placebo or active control drugs (two non-hallucinogenic medications already in common use which may impact brain plasticity) at the UCL lab. The study is double-blind, meaning neither the participants nor the researchers know about the substance being administered. They also undergo two MRI scans while watching a movie so that the scientists can examine whether the drug causes lasting changes in brain function. The volunteers will attend follow-up sessions up to nine months later to analyse the impact the intervention has had on them. "If DMT proves effective in helping people reduce their alcohol consumption, particularly for those who have struggled with other treatments, it could pave the way for a new approach to addiction therapy," the study highlighted, according to ScienceAlert. The scientists warned that psychedelics are potent substances and that their effects can be unpredictable. Taking them without caution or a medical prescription could be dangerous.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Could psychedelics help you to drink less alcohol? Our new study aims to find out
Psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) are gaining increasing attention in psychiatry. Studies suggest they may offer therapeutic benefits for conditions such as depression, anxiety, obsessive–compulsive disorder, eating disorders and addiction. Our research team is investigating whether N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a fast-acting psychedelic, can help people reduce alcohol consumption. Alcohol is the most commonly misused substance in the UK, partly because it is legal, widely available and deeply ingrained in social culture. While many people can enjoy alcohol in moderation, a significant number struggle to control their drinking. For these people, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to serious physical, mental and social consequences. Traditional treatments don't work for everyone, which is why we're exploring alternatives, such as psychedelics, that might enable people to change their behaviour in a single, transformative experience. Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK's latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences. Join The Conversation for free today. DMT is metabolised rapidly in the body. When administered intravenously, the effects kick in almost immediately, typically within one to two minutes. However, these effects are short-lived, lasting only ten to 20 minutes. Despite its brief duration, many users describe the experience as intensely profound. They often report vivid visions, complex patterns and a sensation of entering a different reality. In some cases, the experience leads to a complete shift in how they think, feel and perceive the world. For many, the experience is deeply meaningful and transformative. But what happens in the brain during this time, and how might it influence long-term behaviour, such as reducing alcohol consumption? Read more: Our team is particularly interested in how psychedelics like DMT might help in the context of addiction. One theory is that psychedelics can temporarily enhance neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to form new neural connections. This temporary boost could open a window of flexibility, allowing some people to be more open to change. For someone stuck in the cycle of heavy drinking, this enhanced plasticity might help them break old habits and develop healthier behaviour. Essentially, it could offer the brain an opportunity to 'rewire' itself and disrupt the unhealthy patterns that underlie addiction. We're also focusing on the brain's reward and motivation systems, which play a key role in addiction. These systems influence behaviour associated with pleasure, including eating, sex and drinking alcohol. In people with alcohol use disorder, these systems become hypersensitive to alcohol-related cues, often at the expense of other rewarding experiences. Some early research suggests psychedelics may help 'reset' these reward pathways. We're testing this theory to see whether DMT can reduce alcohol consumption by recalibrating the brain's reward system. To explore these possibilities, we've designed a study with heavy drinkers who are motivated to reduce their alcohol intake. Every participant undergoes a thorough screening to ensure they're fit for the study and all sessions are conducted in a highly controlled, clinical setting with medical professionals and experienced researchers overseeing the process. The study involves three visits to our lab at UCL. On the first and third visits, we use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain activity and observe how different regions of the brain interact. During the scans, participants watch emotionally engaging films, which offer a more natural way to study brain responses compared to abstract tasks. This helps us assess how DMT might impact brain function in real-life, emotionally charged situations. On the second visit, participants are randomly assigned to receive either DMT, a placebo, or a non-psychedelic drug (D-cycloserine or Lisuride). These non-psychedelic substances are believed to promote neuroplasticity without inducing the full psychedelic effects of DMT. The study is double-blind – neither the participants nor the researchers know which substance is being administered. This helps eliminate bias and ensures that the results are as reliable as possible. Additionally, we measure changes in brain activity during the drug infusion using electroencephalography (EEG). EEG tracks the brain's electrical signals and could help us predict which participants are most likely to benefit from DMT. Participants also complete a range of psychological assessments, including questionnaires and tasks that measure memory, attention, mood and decision-making. This data will help us understand how changes in brain function might relate to changes in drinking behaviour. We're still in the process of collecting data, but we're excited to see whether DMT can lead to meaningful reductions in alcohol consumption. As researchers, it's crucial that we stay objective and allow the evidence to guide our conclusions. By keeping the study 'blinded' until all results are in, we ensure that our findings are unbiased and reliable. If DMT proves effective in helping people reduce their alcohol consumption, particularly for those who have struggled with other treatments, it could pave the way for a new approach to addiction therapy. Even if the results are inconclusive, they will still provide valuable insights into the potential role of psychedelics in addiction treatment and open up new avenues for future research. It's important to emphasise that this research is taking place in a safe, controlled environment. Psychedelics are potent substances, and their effects can be unpredictable, especially outside of clinical settings. They are not a 'magic bullet' and are not suitable for everyone. The controlled setting allows us to study their effects while minimising risk to participants. That said, we believe psychedelics offer a unique opportunity to better understand the brain and its capacity for change. By examining how transformative experiences can influence behaviour, we hope to contribute to the development of more effective treatments for addiction and other mental health conditions. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Ravi Das receives research funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (UK), Academy of Medical Sciences (UK) and Wellcome Leap (USA). Rebecca Harding does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
