MDMA-assisted therapy significantly reduces eating disorder symptoms in a randomized placebo-controlled trial of adults with severe PTSD.
Timothy D Brewerton, Julie B. Wang, Adele Lafrance, Chelsea Pamplin, Michael C Mithoefer, Berra Yazar-Klosinki, Amy Emerson, Rick Doblin
Journal of Psychiatric Research May 1, 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.03.008 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 89 |
| Population | Individuals with severe PTSD |
| Intervention | MDMA-assisted therapy |
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy PTSD MDMA |
| Keywords | Eat-26 Eating disorders MDMA-Assisted Therapy Severe PTSD Dual diagnosis Integrated treatment |
| Citations | 81 |
| Key findings | MDMA-assisted therapy significantly reduced eating disorder symptoms compared to placebo among participants with severe PTSD. |
Abstract
Eating disorders (EDs) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are highly comorbid, yet there are no proven integrative treatment modalities for ED-PTSD. In clinical trials, MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) has shown marked success in the treatment of PTSD and may be promising for ED-PTSD. Ninety individuals with severe PTSD received treatment in a double-blind, placebo-controlled pivotal trial of MDMA-AT. In addition to the primary (Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale) and secondary (Sheehan Disability Scale) outcome measures, the Eating Attitudes Test 26 (EAT-26) was administered for pre-specified exploratory purposes at baseline and at study termination. The study sample consisted of 58 females (placebo = 31, MDMA = 27) and 31 males (placebo = 12, MDMA = 19) (n = 89). Seven participants discontinued prior to study termination. At baseline, 13 (15%) of the 89 individuals with PTSD had total EAT-26 scores in the clinical range (≥20), and 28 (31.5%) had total EAT-26 scores in the high-risk range (≥11) despite the absence of active purging or low weight. In completers (n = 82), there was a significant reduction in total EAT-26 scores in the total group of PTSD participants following MDMA-AT versus placebo (p = .03). There were also significant reductions in total EAT-26 scores in women with high EAT-26 scores ≥11 and ≥ 20 following MDMA-AT versus placebo (p = .0012 and p = .0478, respectively). ED psychopathology is common in individuals with PTSD even in the absence of EDs with active purging and low weight. MDMA-AT significantly reduced ED symptoms compared to therapy with placebo among participants with severe PTSD. MDMA-AT for ED-PTSD appears promising and requires further study.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on MDMA and psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.