Nuclear Spin Modulation of Psychedelic Consciousness States: A Factorial fMRI Protocol Combining N,N-DMT with Krypton and Xenon Isotopes
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) – March 04, 2026
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Xenon isotopes with non-zero nuclear spin can be about 30% less effective as anesthetics compared to their spin-zero counterparts. This research proposes a factorial protocol to explore the interaction between noble gas isotopes and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in altering consciousness. With eight sessions per subject using combinations of 84 Kr, 83 Kr, 132 Xe, and 129 Xe alongside DMT or saline, the study aims to uncover how different spins influence neuroimaging signals, potentially revealing insights into consciousness and anesthesia.
Abstract
The discovery that xenon isotopes with non-zero nuclear spin are ∼30% less po-tent as anesthetics than spin-zero isotopes (Li et al., 2018) established a link betweenquantum spin and consciousness. Independently, N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT)induces profoundly altered conscious states characterized by global hyperconnec-tivity and apparent “channel switching” (Timmermann et al., 2023; Gallimore,2019). We propose a 2 × 2 factorial protocol that dissociates two variables—nuclearspin and anesthetic action—by crossing isotopes of two noble gases with DMTunder simultaneous EEG-fMRI. The four gas conditions are: (i) 84 Kr (spin 0, non-anesthetic; baseline control), (ii) 83 Kr (spin 9/2, non-anesthetic; pure spin ampli-fier), (iii) 132 Xe (spin 0, sub-anesthetic; pure sedation), and (iv) 129 Xe (spin 1/2,sub-anesthetic; spin + sedation). Each condition is combined with either DMT orsaline placebo, yielding eight sessions per subject. To eliminate confounding bi-ases related to differential membrane solubility between the gases, the irrefutablestrength of this protocol relies on perfectly blinded intra-element comparisons. De-signed as a pre-registered report, this study utilizes a Linear Mixed-Effects (LME)model and pre-specifies Global Functional Connectivity (GFC) as the primary end-point. We predict that 83 Kr will amplify DMT neuroimaging signatures relative to84 Kr, that 132 Xe will attenuate them, and that 129 Xe will attenuate less than 132 Xedue to spin-mediated neuroprotection.