DMT Models the Near-Death Experience
Frontiers in Psychology August 15, 2018 Christopher Timmermann, Leor Roseman, L. Williams et al. 228 citations
Near-death experiences (NDEs) share striking phenomenological similarities with the effects of the psychedelic drug DMT. In a placebo-controlled, within-subjects study, 13 healthy participants received DMT and placebo, then completed a standard NDE measure. DMT significantly increased NDE-like features compared to placebo. NDE scores were linked to DMT-induced ego-dissolution and mystical experiences, as well as baseline traits of absorption and delusional ideation. Nearly all NDE features overlapped between DMT-induced experiences and a matched group of actual NDE experiencers. These results indicate a remarkable similarity between the DMT state and NDEs, warranting further research.