DMT Shows Neuroprotective Effects in Stroke Through Blood-Brain Barrier Stabilization and Anti-Inflammatory Action
核心洞察
DMT significantly reduced infarct volume and brain swelling in rat stroke (搜索) models while restoring blood-brain barrier (搜索) integrity and improving astroglial cell function.
The psychoactive compound inhibited inflammatory cytokine production and reduced microglial activation through Sigma-1 receptors, demonstrating dual protective mechanisms.
Researchers suggest DMT could serve as an adjuvant therapy to complement existing stroke (搜索) treatments, which currently have limited therapeutic options and recovery outcomes.
Researchers from the HUN-REN BRC Institute of Biophysics (搜索) and Semmelweis University Heart and Vascular Centre (搜索) have demonstrated that N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a natural psychoactive compound found in plants and the human brain, provides significant neuroprotective effects against stroke (搜索) damage through dual mechanisms involving blood-brain barrier (搜索) stabilization and neuroinflammation (搜索) reduction.
Dual Protective Mechanisms Against Stroke Damage
The study, published in Science Advances, revealed that DMT treatment significantly reduced infarct volume and edema formation in a rat transient middle cerebral artery occlusion stroke (搜索) model. "We found that DMT significantly reduced infarct volume and edema formation in a rat stroke model," explains co-first author Marcell László.
In both animal experiments and cell culture models, DMT treatment restored the structure and function of the damaged blood-brain barrier (搜索) and improved the function of astroglial cells. The compound demonstrated its protective effects by restoring tight junction integrity and blood-brain barrier function both in vitro and in vivo.
Anti-Inflammatory Action Through Sigma-1 Receptors
The research identified that DMT's neuroprotective effects operate through the Sigma-1 receptor (搜索) pathway. The psychoactive compound inhibited the production of inflammatory cytokines in brain endothelial cells and peripheral immune cells, while reducing the activation of brain microglia cells through Sigma-1 receptors.
Additionally, DMT treatment resulted in a shift in serum protein composition toward an anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective state and attenuated astrocyte dysfunction following stroke (搜索) injury.
Potential as Adjuvant Stroke Therapy
"The therapeutic options currently available for stroke (搜索) are very limited. The dual action of DMT, protecting the blood-brain barrier (搜索) while reducing brain inflammation, offers a novel, complex approach that could complement existing treatments," says Judit Vigh, co-first author of the work.
The findings suggest that DMT-based treatment may represent a promising new alternative, particularly in combination with existing stroke (搜索) therapies. Since current stroke treatments do not always result in full recovery, this dual-mechanism approach could address limitations of conventional stroke treatment.
Clinical Translation and Future Directions
DMT is naturally present in the human brain and is currently undergoing clinical trials to aid recovery of brain function after stroke (搜索). "It is amazing how we can always turn to Nature to find ingenious solutions for health problems," says co-lead author Mária Deli from the HUN-REN BRC.
The research team from Szeged and Budapest, Hungary, emphasizes that their findings support the development of a therapy that goes beyond the limitations of conventional stroke (搜索) treatment. Clinical trials investigating DMT's use and long-term effects in stroke recovery are currently ongoing, with the compound being evaluated as a neuroprotective agent in poststroke recovery.