Vigilance state dissociation induced by 5-MeO DMT in mice

Vigilance state dissociation induced by 5-MeO DMT in mice | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Vigilance state dissociation induced by 5-MeO DMT in mice Benjamin Bréant, JOSE PRIUS-MENGUAL, Alexander Andrews, Anna Hoerder-Suabedissen, and 4 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6377546/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 05 Jan, 2026 Read the published version in Communications Biology → Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Psychedelics lead to profound changes in subjective experience and behaviour, which are typically conceptualised in psychological terms rather than corresponding to an altered brain state or a distinct state of arousal. Here, we performed chronic electrophysiological recordings from the neocortex concomitant with pupillometry in freely moving adult male mice following an injection of a short-acting psychedelic 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT). We observed an acute induction of a dissociated state of arousal, characterised by prominent slow oscillations in the cortex and marked pupil dilation in behaviourally awake, moving animals. REM sleep was initially markedly suppressed, similar to the effect of conventional antidepressants, but was overcompensated in the subsequent 48 hours. We argue that the occurrence of a dissociated brain state combining features of waking and sleep may fundamentally underpin the known and hypothesised effects of psychedelics — from dream-like hallucinations to reopening of the critical period for plasticity. Biological sciences/Neuroscience/Circadian rhythms and sleep/Slow-wave sleep Biological sciences/Neuroscience/Circadian rhythms and sleep/Wakefulness Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files SupplementarymovieS1.mp4 Waking behaviour in mice following the injection of vehicle or 5-MeO-DMT SupplementaryMovieS2.mp4 Representative EEG and LFP signals of a mouse in NREM sleep, REM sleep, wake with vehicle and wake with 5-MeO-DMT SupplementarymovieS3.mp4 Mouse interacting with a bowl after an injection of vehicle or 5-MeO-DMT SupplementarymovieS4.mp4 Mouse interacting with a running wheel after an injection of vehicle or 5-MeO-DMT SupplementarymovieS5.mp4 Oculometre recording technique SupplementarymovieS6.mp4 5-MeO-DMT transiently increases pupil diameter RS1129.pdf Reporting Summary Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 05 Jan, 2026 Read the published version in Communications Biology → Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6377546","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":449883499,"identity":"0ab58ed5-3b65-4716-90cc-ae4a21feb09d","order_by":0,"name":"Benjamin Bréant","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Oxford","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Benjamin","middleName":"","lastName":"Bréant","suffix":""},{"id":449883500,"identity":"10fc6d4b-86c9-4bf4-8d08-eb8fd89674b2","order_by":1,"name":"JOSE PRIUS-MENGUAL","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"UNIVERSIDAD PABLO DE 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