Treating posttraumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder comorbidity: Current pharmacological therapies and the future of MDMA-integrated psychotherapy.
Brian J Gully, Erica Eaton, Christy Capone, Carolina L Haass-Koffler
Journal of Psychopharmacology December 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1177/02698811231200880 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstractAbstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) frequently co-occur in patients who have experienced trauma. This comorbidity leads to a vicious cycle where PTSD symptoms beget heavy drinking and vice versa. There are no FDA-approved medications to treat PTSD-AUD; therefore, individuals suffering from this comorbidity are treated with medication approved to treat the disorders separately or with off-label pharmacological interventions. However, these medications are limited in their efficacy for treating PTSD-AUD comorbidity. Emerging research on the nonclassical psychedelic drug 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) suggests that it may be an effective drug used in conjunction with psychotherapy. The following reviews the current research for clinical pharmacotherapies, as well as MDMA-integrative psychotherapy as they pertain to PTSD and AUD in isolation and co-occurrence. Future directions for the role of psychedelic-integrative therapy for the treatment of this comorbidity are discussed.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on MDMA for addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neuropharmacology of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS): Focus on the Rewarding and Reinforcing Properties of Cannabimimetics and Amphetamine-Like Stimulants | 2016 | Review | |
| Methamphetamine and MDMA (Ecstasy) Neurotoxicity: 'of Mice and Men' | 2004 | Review | |
| Use and abuse of dissociative and psychedelic drugs in adolescence Adolescent humans and preclinical animal models | 2021 | Review | |
| Can MDMA Play a Role in the Treatment of Substance Abuse? | 2013 | Review | |
| Neuroimaging in Human MDMA (Ecstasy) Users | 2008 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- In the new era of psychedelic assisted therapy: A systematic review of study methodology in randomized controlled trials. Psychopharmacology June 1, 2024
- Design and methodology of the first open-label trial of MDMA-assisted therapy for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder: Considerations for a randomized controlled trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications October 1, 2024
- Psychedelics for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders: A Narrative Review of the Literature. Substance use & addiction journal 2026
Cites 15
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- 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of chronic posttraumatic stress disorder: A randomized phase 2 controlled trial. Journal of Psychopharmacology December 1, 2018
and 10 more in the library