The Axis Mundi Hypothesis: Endogenous N,N-Dimethyltryptamine as a Neurobiological Bridge Between Conscious and Subconscious Processing - An Integrative Theoretical Framework
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) – February 12, 2026
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Endogenous N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) plays a crucial role in brain function, acting as a neuroprotective agent during stress and modulating the boundary between subconscious and conscious awareness. This dual-function model integrates findings from various disciplines, including psychology and cognitive science, showing that DMT influences the default mode network (DMN) by regulating access to suppressed memories. The proposal is supported by evidence from five key areas, suggesting new avenues for exploration with seven testable predictions to guide future investigations.
Abstract
Multiple lines of neuroscientific evidence have converged on a set of closely related findings: the mammalian brain endogenously synthesizes N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) at neurotransmitter-comparable concentrations (Dean et al., 2019); psychedelic compounds suppress the default mode network (DMN) and dissolve ego boundaries (Carhart-Harris et al., 2012; Tagliazucchi et al., 2016); the brain actively suppresses unwanted memories through prefrontal-hippocampal inhibitory gating (Anderson & Green, 2001; Schmitz et al., 2017); psychedelic-induced relaxation of high-level priors permits the surfacing of suppressed content (Carhart-Harris & Friston, 2019); and shared visual phenomenology under DMT is explained by conserved neural architecture (Bressloff et al., 2002). Despite this convergence, no existing theoretical framework integrates these findings into a unified model that explains why the brain produces a psychedelic compound and what function endogenous DMT serves at the level of consciousness. The present paper proposes the Axis Mundi hypothesis: endogenous DMT serves a dual evolutionary function operating across two distinct biological layers. At the cellular layer, DMT acts as an endogenous sigma-1 receptor agonist providing neuroprotection during hypoxic and ischemic stress. At the network layer, DMT modulates the permeability of the conscious-subconscious boundary by acting on 5-HT2A receptors within DMN circuitry, thereby regulating the degree to which subconscious content is accessible to conscious awareness. This dual-function model is synthesized from five pillars of empirical evidence: endogenous DMT biochemistry, DMN neuroimaging, active memory suppression mechanisms, shared visionary neural architecture, and evolutionary receptor conservation. Seven testable predictions are derived from the framework, providing a concrete empirical program for its evaluation.