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5-Methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (acronymized as 5-MeO-DMT) is sui generis among the naturally-occurring psychoactive substances due to its unparalleled ego-dissolving effects which can culminate in a state of nondual consciousness, viz., a higher state of consciousness which is phenomenologically similar to transformative peak experiences described in various ancient contemplative traditions (e.g., Advaita Vedanta, Mahayana Buddhism, inter alia). The enigmatic molecule is endogenous to the human brain and has profound psychological effects which are hitherto only poorly understood due to the absence of scientifically controlled human experimental trials. Its remarkable psychoactivity is presumably mediated via agonism of the 5-HT2A receptor subtype but the exact neuronal receptor binding profile is a matter of ongoing research. Anthropological/ethnopharmacological evidence indicates that various cultures utilized 5-MeO-DMT containing plants for medicinal, psychological, and spiritual purposes for millennia. In this publication we argue that this serotonergic compound could be fruitfully utilized as a neurochemical research tool, specifically in the context of creativity research.

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Germann, Dr. Christopher B.
Dr. Germann is an interdisciplinary scholar with particular expertise in psychology and cognitive neuroscience. He studied at the Free University of Amsterdam, Manipal University Jaipur (India), and the University of Plymouth (United Kingdom) where he obtained a PhD as a Marie Curie Fellow (funded by the European Union FP7 framework ITN-604764).

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