Does The Human Brain Make DMT?

This article by Dr. James Cooke was originally published on Reality Sandwich, and appears here with permission.

N,N-dimethyltryptamine, or DMT, is one of the most powerful psychedelics on the planet.  What’s more, it’s a very simple compound that is found throughout the natural world.  Even our bodies produce it.  What is it doing inside us?  Does the human brain make DMT?  And, if so, might this endogenous source of a powerful psychedelic be responsible for religious experiences throughout the ages?