# Purpose of endogenous N,N-DMT? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 23, 2005, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-endogenous-n-n-dmt/318304 "2005-08-23T19:00:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AnotherUnitySong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@AnotherUnitySong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnotherUnitySong)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-endogenous-n-n-dmt/318304/1 "2005-08-23T19:00:32Z")
I’ve been trying to find this on the internet for a few days now, to no avail. Then I remembered The Straight Dope. Searched the archives, nothing. So here’s where I ask you guys, whats the deal with endogenous N,N-DMT? What is its purpose? If it’s even known, that is… ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-endogenous-n-n-dmt/318304/2 "2005-08-23T19:17:41Z")
Its purpose is not known – if there even _is_ a purpose. There has been some speculation that tiny amounts of endogenous hallucinogens may play a necessary role in that periodic alteration of consciousness we call “sleep,” – more specifically dream imagery. This has not been confirmed. An important thing to remember is that not everything is purposeful – despite the profound impression to the contrary that you may experience if you ever have more than a threshold dose of hallucinogenic tryptamines. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-endogenous-n-n-dmt/318304/3 "2005-08-23T19:17:54Z")
> [@AnotherUnitySong](#): > > I’ve been trying to find this on the internet for a few days now, to no avail. Then I remembered The Straight Dope. Searched the archives, nothing. > > So here’s where I ask you guys, whats the deal with endogenous N,N-DMT? What is its purpose? If it’s even known, that is… There is an account of theories on the role of N,N-DMT in this paper: Jacob and Presti, Medical Hypotheses, 2005, 64, 930-937. If you don’t have access to a library, maybe try googling for Trace-Amine receptor. The authors say that N,N-DMT has activity at this receptor and hypothesise that it may be a neurotransmitter with an endogenous anxiolytic role. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-endogenous-n-n-dmt/318304/4 "2005-08-23T19:19:57Z")
Just noticed that Alexander Shulgin is acknowledged at the end of that paper. Make of that what you will. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-endogenous-n-n-dmt/318304/5 "2005-08-23T19:21:24Z")
I’d brush up on Googling skills as a search yielded \>3K hits. Threads about psychoactives and hallucinogens are better saved for other places, as the Reader and SDMB admin frown upon such discussions, from what I’ve observed. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![AnotherUnitySong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@AnotherUnitySong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnotherUnitySong)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-endogenous-n-n-dmt/318304/6 "2005-08-23T19:27:08Z")
Thanks everyone. danceswithcats: I thought that might be the case with the admins. But, since it’s not about recreational use of N,N-DMT, I figured I’d give it a shot. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-endogenous-n-n-dmt/318304/7 "2005-08-23T19:41:52Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > Threads about psychoactives and hallucinogens are better saved for other places, as the Reader and SDMB admin frown upon such discussions, from what I’ve observed. YMMV. This thread is well within the [guidlines](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=106617), even if you think of N,N-DMT as an “illegal drug” in this context. > [@](#): > > **Drugs** > Illegal (in the USA) Drugs - You are allowed discussion of the effects of drugs, but do not discuss where to buy them. Limited discussion of past use of drugs is OK, discussion of current use is not. Please include a disclaimer that the drug is illegal in the US. Really, though, it’s about human biology, not illicit drugs. (Oh noes! Every American citizen is in possession of a Schedule I substance – it’s only a matter of time before the law catches up. ;)) ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-endogenous-n-n-dmt/318304/8 "2005-08-23T20:07:51Z")
> [@Myler Keogh](#): > > There is an account of theories on the role of N,N-DMT in this paper: Jacob and Presti, Medical Hypotheses, 2005, 64, 930-937. If you don’t have access to a library, maybe try googling for Trace-Amine receptor. The authors say that N,N-DMT has activity at this receptor and hypothesise that it may be a neurotransmitter with an endogenous anxiolytic role. Here’s the [abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15780487&dopt=Citation), at least, online. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2005, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-endogenous-n-n-dmt/318304/9 "2005-08-24T12:53:34Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > This thread is well within the [guidlines](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=106617), even if you think of N,N-DMT as an “illegal drug” in this context.Really, though, it’s about human biology, not illicit drugs. > > (Oh noes! Every American citizen is in possession of a Schedule I substance – it’s only a matter of time before the law catches up. ;)) And that’s not the only one, either. I’m smuggling cannabinoids. INSIDE MY BRAIN!! ---
**Author:** ![jackemaxton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a87d85/32.png) [@jackemaxton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackemaxton)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-endogenous-n-n-dmt/318304/10 "2005-08-24T18:06:56Z")
Don’t forget the GHB found throughout the human body, every human and indeed mammal in the US is an illegal date rape drug factory :eek: