Other - DMT and The Near Death Experience

[todaywasyesterday]

A very knowledgeable friend of mine once told me that when someone has a near death experience, a rush of DMT hits the brain and causes spectacular images which some people may confuse with seeing heaven or God. I know that DMT exists in the human body, so I could see this happening. Anyone ever heard anything about this phenomenon?

[Expat98]

A book recommendation for you:

DMT: The Spirit Molecule: A Doctor's Revolutionary Research into the Biology of Near-Death and Mystical Experiences

by Rick Strassman. M.D.

You can find an online copy e-book if you don't want to buy it. But you really should buy it. Check out the reviews of this book here:

http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4546

One could also probably turn up some more info by doing a simple search.

http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17690

http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34730

http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33852

[HorseBucket]

Supposedly the brain releases a burst of DMT in human fetuses before they're born.

[Burnt]

There is absolutely no proof that DMT is released in high amounts when you are born or when you have a spontaneous mystical experience. DMT is present in the human blood and cerebro spinal fluid but in trace amounts and although most likely has an important function may have nothing to do with inducing so called mystical experiences.

There are many things that can induce a near death experience and perhaps an alteration in the level of certain neurotransmitters is responsible (most likely in some way shape or form it is) for this but so far its all speculation with not much clear cut evidence to back it up especially in the case of DMT. Infact there is a considerable amount of evidence if you look at expression levels of enzymes capable of producing DMT that they simply are not high enough or present in places such as the pineal gland as strassman suggested. SWIM doesn't have the reference for this off hand but will look if anyone is interested.

However smoking high doses of DMT is capable of inducing what could be called a near death experience but that doesn't mean for your own mind to spontaneously generate one it needs to produce an excess amount of DMT. This can and should be measured to further clarify.

[crackcityrocker]

^^^swim is interested in references

[Burnt]

http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retri...06987704005870

theres one recent publication. SWIM doesn't want to post full text because of copyright issues but if you really cant find it PM. SWIM can look out for ones about enzymes involved in biosynthesis but is unsure of where SWIM read that. none the less that article may have the reference about enzymes related to DMT biosynthesis.