Proliferative Effects of the Psychedelic N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in Human Neural Stem Cells.
José Alexandre Salerno, Elizabeth R Dominguez, Karina Karmirian, Breno A B M S Arrais, Juliano Alves, Giovanna Erjautz, Kennedy Kroening, Leticia R Q Souza, Isis Ornelas, Stevens Rehen
ACS chemical neuroscience July 9, 2026 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.6c00209 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractBrief exposure to the psychedelic N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) increases proliferation of human neural stem cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells. A 24-hour DMT treatment boosted cell division in a concentration-dependent way, with half-maximal effect at 59.7 nM, and raised levels of G1 cell-cycle regulators. DMT also altered expression of trophic genes, decreasing neurotrophin-3 while increasing nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) transcripts and intracellular BDNF protein. After DMT was removed, treated stem cells formed larger neurospheres, with progenitor and early neuron markers matching controls by day 10. The findings indicate DMT can engage proliferative and neurotrophin-related responses in human neural stem cells at concentrations linked to plasticity in other systems.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | In vitro experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Human iPSC-derived neural stem cells |
| Dose | half-maximal effect at 59.7 nM |
| Duration | 24 h treatment; washout followed by neurosphere formation up to day 10 |
| Keywords | Bdnf N,N-Dimethyltryptamine DMT Cell cycle Neurosphere |
| Key finding | 24-hour DMT treatment increased proliferation of human neural stem cells in a concentration-dependent manner and upregulated G1 cell-cycle regulators and BDNF expression. |
Abstract
The serotonergic psychedelic N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) produces rapid antidepressant effects in preclinical and early clinical studies. Therapeutic benefits have been linked to sustained neural plasticity, including adult neurogenesis in rodents. Whether brief DMT exposure engages proliferative responses in human neural stem cells (NSCs) remains unresolved. Using human iPSC-derived NSCs, we found that 24 h DMT treatment increased proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner (half-maximal effect at 59.7 nM) and upregulated G1 cell-cycle regulators. DMT also shifted trophic gene expression, decreasing neurotrophin-3 while increasing nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) transcripts and intracellular BDNF protein. After washout, DMT-primed NSCs formed larger neurospheres, with progenitor and early neuronal marker composition matching controls by day 10. These findings demonstrate that brief DMT exposure is sufficient to engage proliferative and neurotrophin-associated responses in human NSCs at concentrations consistent with those reported for DMT-induced plasticity across other systems.