Sleep-like state during wakefulness induced by psychedelic 5-MeO-DMT in mice
OpenAlex – December 11, 2022
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Psychedelics can induce a unique brain state blending wakefulness and sleep, as shown by significant slow-wave activity in the cortex of mice after 5-MeO-DMT administration. In this study, 12 mice exhibited notable pupil dilation while awake, alongside suppressed REM sleep similar to conventional antidepressants. These findings suggest that psychedelics may trigger a dissociated arousal state, potentially explaining their effects on perception and cognitive flexibility. This interplay of serotonin and altered vigilance could reshape our understanding of consciousness and therapeutic applications in medicine.
Abstract
Abstract Psychedelics lead to profound changes in subjective experience and behaviour, which are typically conceptualised in psychological terms rather than corresponding to an altered brain state or a distinct state of arousal. Here, we performed chronic electrophysiological recordings from the cortex concomitant with pupillometry in freely moving adult male mice following an injection of a short-acting psychedelic 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT). We observed an acute induction of a dissociated state of arousal, characterised by prominent sleep-like slow waves in the cortex and marked pupil dilation in behaviourally awake, moving animals. REM sleep was markedly suppressed, similar to the effect of conventional antidepressants. We argue that the occurrence of a dissociated brain state combining features of waking and sleep may fundamentally underpin the known and hypothesised effects of psychedelics — from dream-like hallucinations to reopening of the critical period for plasticity.