Altered Insula Connectivity under MDMA.
Ishan C Walpola, Timothy Nest, Leor Roseman, David Erritzøe, Amanda Feilding, David Nutt, Robin Carhart-Harris
Neuropsychopharmacology February 14, 2017 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.35 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized, double-blind, repeated-measures design Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 25 |
| Population | Healthy volunteers |
| Intervention | MDMA-HCl |
| Dose | 100 mg p.o. |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Keywords | MDMA Research MDMA Studies Ecstasy research Psychedelic research Drug research Therapeutic MDMA Brain science Neural science Neurobiology Brain research Cognitive neuroscience Emotional processing Emotion regulation Affective processing Empathy enhancement Emotional intelligence Self-awareness Therapeutic potential Medicinal applications Clinical benefits Treatment prospects Healing potential Therapeutic uses Insular cortex Brain insula Insula function Neural insula Brain region |
| Citations | 50 |
| Key points | MDMA decreases right insula/salience network functional connectivity, and this decrease correlates with baseline trait anxiety and acute altered bodily sensations. |
Abstract
Recent work with noninvasive human brain imaging has started to investigate the effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on large-scale patterns of brain activity. MDMA, a potent monoamine-releaser with particularly pronounced serotonin- releasing properties, has unique subjective effects that include: marked positive mood, pleasant/unusual bodily sensations and pro-social, empathic feelings. However, the neurobiological basis for these effects is not properly understood, and the present analysis sought to address this knowledge gap. To do this, we administered MDMA-HCl (100 mg p.o.) and, separately, placebo (ascorbic acid) in a randomized, double-blind, repeated-measures design with twenty-five healthy volunteers undergoing fMRI scanning. We then employed a measure of global resting-state functional brain connectivity and follow-up seed-to-voxel analysis to the fMRI data we acquired. Results revealed decreased right insula/salience network functional connectivity under MDMA. Furthermore, these decreases in right insula/salience network connectivity correlated with baseline trait anxiety and acute experiences of altered bodily sensations under MDMA. The present findings highlight insular disintegration (ie, compromised salience network membership) as a neurobiological signature of the MDMA experience, and relate this brain effect to trait anxiety and acutely altered bodily sensations-both of which are known to be associated with insular functioning.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 28
- 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder in military veterans, firefighters, and police officers: a randomised, double-blind, dose-response, phase 2 clinical trial. The Lancet Psychiatry May 1, 2018
- 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of chronic posttraumatic stress disorder: A randomized phase 2 controlled trial. Journal of Psychopharmacology December 1, 2018
- MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD: Are memory reconsolidation and fear extinction underlying mechanisms? Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry June 8, 2018
- MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of anxiety and other psychological distress related to life-threatening illnesses: a randomized pilot study Scientific Reports November 24, 2020
- Shifted balance of dorsal versus ventral striatal communication with frontal reward and regulatory regions in cannabis‐dependent males Human Brain Mapping September 12, 2018
and 23 more in the library
Cites 20
- Interoceptive inference, emotion, and the embodied self Trends in Cognitive Sciences October 12, 2013
- The safety and efficacy of {+/-}3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy in subjects with chronic, treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder: the first randomized controlled pilot study. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 19, 2010
- Differences Between the Mechanism of Action of MDMA, MBDB, and the Classic Hallucinogens. Identification of a New Therapeutic Class: Entactogens Journal of Psychoactive Drugs October 1, 1986
- A randomized, controlled pilot study of MDMA (±3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine)-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of resistant, chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Journal of Psychopharmacology October 31, 2012
- Durability of improvement in post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and absence of harmful effects or drug dependency after 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy: a prospective long-term follow-up study. Journal of Psychopharmacology 2013
and 15 more in the library