5-MeO-DMT modifies innate behaviors and promotes structural neural plasticity in mice.
Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology August 1, 2023 Sarah J Jefferson, Ian Gregg, Mark Dibbs et al. 57 citations
5-MeO-DMT, a short-acting psychedelic, produces a dose-dependent increase in head-twitch response in mice that is shorter in duration than psilocybin at all doses tested. It also substantially suppresses social ultrasonic vocalizations during mating behavior. The compound causes long-lasting increases in dendritic spine density in the mouse medial frontal cortex, driven by an elevated rate of spine formation, but unlike psilocybin, it does not affect the size of dendritic spines. These findings reveal behavioral and neural mechanisms of 5-MeO-DMT, highlighting similarities and differences with psilocybin.