Scientists discover psychedelic drug 5-MeO-DMT induces a state of “paradoxical wake”
A recent study published in Communications Biology suggests that a powerful psychedelic drug can induce a unique brain state where awake and moving animals exhibit brain waves typically associated with deep sleep. This unusual blend of sleeping and waking characteristics provides evidence that psychedelics may temporarily reorganize brain activity in ways that promote learning and emotional recovery. The substance at the center of this research is 5-MeO-DMT, a fast-acting psychedelic compound known to produce intense, dream-like experiences and altered perceptions of reality. Scientists are currently exploring this substance as a potential treatment for mental health conditions like severe depression and anxiety. The new study was led by Benjamin Bréantunder under the supervision of Professor Vladyslav Vyazovskiy as part of his PhD in the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics at the University of Oxford. Benjamin is now a postdoctoral researcher at the Paris Graduate School of Physics and Industrial Chemistry. Because severe depression tends to heavily disrupt normal sleep patterns, the scientists initially wanted to understand how psychedelics interact with the body’s natural rest cycles. …
