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Introduction Results
Method & Data Analysis
5-Methoxy-N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT):
Patterns of use, motives for consumption, and acute subjective effects
• 5-Methoxy-N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) is a
natural psychoactive indolealkylamine substance found in
several plants and in high concentrations in Bufo alvarius
toad venom.
• 5-MeO-DMT is a potent, fast-acting, psychedelic substance.
In animal models, 5-MeO-DMT acts as a non-selective 5-HT
agonist, active at both the 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors.
•Human self-experiments describe the subjective effects of
synthetic 5-MeO-DMT as similar to other classic
hallucinogens, including a distortion in time perception, and
auditory and visionary distortions, with peak effects between
35-40 minutes after insufflation. Inhalation (e.g., smoking or
vaporizing) is also a common means of consumption with
initial onset of effects within 60 seconds and peak total
duration of effect between 5 and 20 minutes.
• Motivations to use include spiritual, recreational, and
psychotherapeutic experiences, but prevalence and use
characteristics are unknown. Furthermore, a lack of empirical
evidence limits understanding of the potential clinical
applications of 5-MeO-DMT which are reported to be similar
to other tryptamines (e.g., psilocybin).
• Using internet-based advertisements we recruited English-
speaking adults to complete an anonymous web-based
survey.
•We conducted frequency counts and descriptive analyses of
demographic characteristics, patterns of using 5-MeO-DMT,
motivations for consumption, acute subjective effects, and
biomedical/psychiatric harms/benefits variables.
Primary Study Aim
• Examine the patterns of use, motivations for consumption,
acute subjective effects, and potential consequences and
psychotherapeutic effects of 5-MeO-DMT among an
international sample of 5-MeO-DMT users.
Summary and Conclusions
• AKD was initially supported by a postdoctoral training grant
from NIAAA (AA007477) & is currently supported by a
postdoctoral training grant from NIDA (DA07209). Source
Research Foundation funded RL to provide administrative and
research assistance on the study. The funding sources had no
role in study design, data analysis, or interpretation.
• Contact email for AKD: adavi157@jhmi.edu
Sample Characteristics
• The sample (n=515) was comprised of primarily middle-aged
(Mage=35.4. SD=11.7), Male (79%), White/Caucasian (86%)
individuals, less than half (42%) residing in the US.
• Type of 5-MeO-DMT used:
Synthetic (n=284); Toad (n=148); Plant/Yopo (n=83).
Alan K. Davis, PhD1,2,3, Joseph P. Barsuglia, PhD3, Rafael Lancelotta, BA3,4, Robert Grant, MD5, Elise Renn, BS3
1Dept. of Psychiatry, Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine,
2Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, 3Source Research Foundation, 4University of Wyoming, 5University of California San Francisco
• Similar to other psychedelic tryptamines, findings
suggest that 5-MeO-DMT is used infrequently,
predominantly for spiritual exploration, has low addiction
liability, and might have psychotherapeutic effects.
•We recommend that future research examine the safety
and pharmacokinetics of 5-MeO-DMT administration in
humans using rigorous experimental designs.
Funding and Contact Information
59%
41%
Lifetime Use
1-4 Times
5+ Times
81%
19%
Route of Administration
Smoked/Vaporized
Swallowed/Snorted
/Other
45%
55%
Frequency of Use
More than
once per
year
Once per
year or less
68%
32%
Motivation for Use
Spiritual
exploration
Recreation/
Therapeutic
61%
28%
11%
Frequency of Re-dosing
Never
Sometimes
Frequently/Always
22%
14%
64%
Intensity Compared to
Other Psychedelics
Less intense
Same
intensity
More intense
N= 41
N= 26
N = 5N = 5N = 5
CRAVING REDUCTION
ATTEMPTS
PSYCHIATRIC
CONSEQ
MEDICAL CONSEQ LEGAL CONSEQ
Number of 5-MeO-DMT users (out of 515) endorsing ever
having the following experiences related to use
79%
of 99 Ss 77%
of 301 Ss 69%
of 308 Ss 63%
of 132 Ss
PTSD DEPRESSION ANXIETY SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER
Proportion of 5-MeO-DMT users with each psychiatric
disorder who also endorsed symptom improvement
following use
1.22
0.69
1.15
0.85
0.76
1.75
0.18
1.44
0.74
1.28
0.98
0.9
1.74
0.2
0.97
0.6
1.13
0.69
0.67
1.4
0.18
0.94
0.62
0.89
0.71
0.54
1.99
0.16
FEAR GRIEF PHYSICAL
DISTRESS
INSANITY ISOLATION FELT LIKE
THEY WERE
DYING
PARANOIA
Mean Intensity of Acute Challenging Experiences
(0 = None to 5 = Extreme)
Total Sample Synthetic Plant To ad
3.43
3.55
3.72
4.07
3.1
3.28
3.53
3.88
3.44
3.61
3.68
4.14
4.07
4.04
4.11
4.39
MYSTICAL POSITIVE MOOD TRANSCENDENCE OF
TIME/SPACE
INEFFABILITY
Mean Intensity of Acute Psychedelic Effects
(0 = None to 5 = Extreme)
Total Sample Synthetic Plant To a d
Confidential until presented: 12/15/17