Mapping the phenomenology of intranasal 5-MeO-DMT in psychedelic-naïve healthy adults

The authors begin by explaining that 5-MeO-DMT is a naturally occurring psychedelic belonging to the tryptamine family, known for its rapid onset and short duration. Although it appears in the secretions of the Sonoran Desert toad and in various plants, its subjective effects have not yet been studied in a systematic qualitative framework. Recent clinical interest focuses on its potential therapeutic applications for conditions such as depression, substance use disorders, and bipolar disorder. Earlier research based on naturalistic or ceremonial contexts has described experiences that are unusually intense, often involving profound alterations in consciousness, mystical-type states, or non-dual forms of awareness, while producing relatively few visual phenomena. However, these reports remain largely descriptive and unsystematic.

The authors note that psychedelic experiences are highly individual and difficult to capture through quantitative scales alone. Many aspects of altered states—especially subtle or temporally shifting experiences—can remain unnoticed or difficult to articulate without appropriately guided methods. Qualitative approaches grounded in phenomenology are therefore seen as essential for uncovering the fine-grained structure of such experiences. Previous studies with other psychedelics, such as ayahuasca, ibogaine/iboga, LSD, MDMA, psilocybin, and DMT, have shown that qualitative insights can illuminate possible mechanisms of therapeutic change, including emotional breakthroughs and shifts in self-perception. The authors argue that microphenomenology is particularly suitable for short-acting psychedelics because it guides participants to reconstruct their experiences with precision, drawing out details that might otherwise remain unreported.

The present study forms part of a Phase I, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating escalating doses of intranasal 5-MeO-DMT (BPL-003) in psychedelic-naïve healthy adults. Ermakova and colleagues aim to map the phenomenology of the acute experience using microphenomenological interviews, combined with natural language processing to examine thematic patterns. The article focuses exclusively on active-dose experiences, with placebo interviews to be reported separately. Their primary goal is to offer a comprehensive description of how subjective effects unfold in a clinical setting, contributing new insights into the experiential profile of 5-MeO-DMT and informing future therapeutic research.

Methods

Trial design and ethical compliance