A natural psychedelic may do more than alter perception. A new study found that at sub-hallucinogenic doses, DMT shielded the brain from stroke damage in animal models, reducing inflammation, preserving the blood-brain barrier, and speeding recovery.

一种天然迷幻剂可能不仅仅会改变感知。一项新研究发现，在低于致幻剂量的情况下，DMT 在动物模型中能够保护大脑免受中风损伤，减少炎症、保护血脑屏障并加速恢复。

The effects of an ischemic stroke, where blood supply to the brain is blocked, can vary depending on the area that’s affected, but commonly include physical impairments like one-sided weakness and balance issues, and cognitive challenges such as problems with speech and memory.

缺血性中风是大脑供血受阻，其影响因受累区域而异，但通常包括身体损伤（如单侧无力和平衡问题）以及认知障碍（如语言和记忆问题）。

A new study by researchers in Hungary has investigated whether DMT, a naturally occurring psychedelic compound, could protect brain cells from damage caused by stroke in animal models. The results hold great promise for the development of a human treatment.

匈牙利研究人员的一项新研究调查了DMT（一种天然存在的迷幻化合物）是否能够保护动物模型中的脑细胞免受中风引起的损伤。结果对于开发人类治疗方法具有很大的希望。

Produced by various plants and animals, the hallucinogen

由各种植物和动物产生的致幻剂

dimethyltryptamine

二甲基色胺

(DMT) is known for its rapid, intense, and relatively short-lived effects among those who take it for its

(DMT) 以其快速、强烈且相对短暂的效果而闻名于那些服用它的人之中。

psychedelic

迷幻的

effects or use it in religious rituals. In the present study, the researchers used a mix of lab-grown cell models and animal models that mimic the effects of ischemic stroke.

效果或在宗教仪式中使用它。在目前的研究中，研究人员使用了实验室培养的细胞模型和模拟缺血性中风影响的动物模型的混合。

Neurons and other brain cells, which modeled the blood-brain barrier (BBB), were subjected to oxygen and glucose deprivation to simulate the conditions of a stroke. DMT was added either before or after this deprivation to test both preventive and therapeutic effects. In animal studies, rodents had their middle cerebral artery occluded, a standard stroke model in animals..

神经元和其他脑细胞模拟了血脑屏障 (BBB)，并经历了氧气和葡萄糖剥夺，以模拟中风的条件。在剥夺前后分别添加DMT，以测试其预防和治疗效果。在动物研究中，啮齿动物的中脑动脉被闭塞，这是标准的动物中风模型。

After stroke onset, DMT was administered intraperitoneally (into the abdominal cavity), followed by a continuous infusion for 24 hours, to see if it reduced brain damage and improved recovery. The researchers examined post-stroke cell survival and death rates, the size of areas of dead brain tissue (infarct), behavioral outcomes such as motor coordination and cognitive function, and inflammatory and neuroprotective signaling pathways activated by DMT..

中风发作后，研究人员向腹腔内注射DMT，随后连续输注24小时，以观察其是否减少脑损伤并改善恢复情况。研究人员检查了中风后的细胞存活率和死亡率、脑组织坏死区域（梗死）的大小、运动协调性和认知功能等行为结果，以及由DMT激活的炎症和神经保护信号通路。

DMT has the potential to become a groundbreaking new stroke treatment

DMT有潜力成为一种突破性的新型中风治疗方法。

Depositphotos

存储照片

What they found across cell and animal models was encouraging. DMT-treated cells exposed to stroke-like conditions showed significantly less cell death compared to untreated controls. In animals, brain damage was reduced – infarct volumes were notably smaller when DMT was administered after a stroke.

他们在细胞和动物模型中的发现令人鼓舞。暴露于类似中风条件下的DMT处理细胞显示出比未处理对照组显著减少的细胞死亡。在动物中，脑损伤减少——当中风后施用DMT时，梗死体积明显较小。

Treated animals recovered motor function and cognitive performance more quickly and more fully than untreated, control animals. DMT appeared to suppress harmful inflammatory responses while promoting protective cellular pathways that helped cells resist stress and programmed cell death (apoptosis). The researchers found that DMT stabilized the BBB, reduced leakage of damaging molecules into brain tissue, and moderated the activity of .

接受治疗的动物比未接受治疗的对照组动物更快更全面地恢复了运动功能和认知能力。DMT似乎抑制了有害的炎症反应，同时促进了保护性细胞通路，帮助细胞抵抗压力和程序性细胞死亡（凋亡）。研究人员发现，DMT稳定了血脑屏障（BBB），减少了有害分子渗入脑组织，并调节了活性。

microglia

小胶质细胞

, the brain’s immune cells, all of which contributed to reduced inflammation and secondary damage.

，大脑的免疫细胞，所有这些都有助于减少炎症和二次损伤。

There was also evidence that DMT promoted

也有证据表明DMT促进了

neuronal growth

神经元生长

and repair processes, potentially aiding long-term recovery. Importantly, the beneficial effects were observed even when DMT was given after the stroke occurred, suggesting potential therapeutic use in emergency settings rather than just a preventive effect.

并且修复过程，可能有助于长期恢复。重要的是，即使在中风发生后给予DMT，也观察到了有益的效果，这表明它在紧急情况下的潜在治疗用途，而不仅仅是预防效果。

Of course, these experiments were conducted in labs, so a major limitation of the study is that we don’t yet know if these results will translate to humans. Further, the optimal dose, timing, and delivery method for DMT therapy have not yet been established, and effects may vary significantly. DMT’s hallucinogenic properties could complicate its clinical use.

当然，这些实验是在实验室中进行的，因此这项研究的一个主要限制是，我们尚不清楚这些结果是否适用于人类。此外，DMT治疗的最佳剂量、时间和给药方法尚未确定，效果可能会有很大差异。DMT的致幻特性可能会使其临床应用复杂化。

However, because beneficial effects were observed at sub-psychedelic doses, this may be manageable..

然而，由于在亚致幻剂量下观察到了有益效果，这可能是可以控制的。

If the results translate to humans, DMT could become a groundbreaking new treatment for stroke, particularly ischemic stroke, where rapid intervention is critical. Potential clinical uses included emergency stroke therapy, as an adjunct to rehabilitation, and as a neuroprotective agent, which may expand the treatment’s relevance to traumatic brain injury and cardiac arrest..

如果这些结果能够适用于人类，DMT可能成为治疗中风的开创性新疗法，特别是对于缺血性中风，快速干预至关重要。其潜在的临床应用包括紧急中风治疗、作为康复的辅助手段，以及作为神经保护剂，这可能会扩大该疗法在创伤性脑损伤和心脏骤停中的相关性。

Phase 2 human clinical trials are planned for later in 2025 to investigate the use of DMT as a treatment for stroke.

计划在2025年晚些时候进行第二阶段人体临床试验，以研究使用DMT作为中风治疗的效果。

The study was published in the journal

该研究发表在期刊上

Science Advances

科学进展

.

。

Source:

源代码：

HUN-REN Biological Research Center Szeged

塞格德HUN-REN生物研究中心