“Being with a Buddha”: A Case Report of Methoxetamine Use in a United States Veteran with PTSD
Joan M. Striebel, E. Nelson, Raj K. Kalapatapu
Case Reports in Psychiatry January 29, 2017 DOI: 10.1155/2017/2319094 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | A US veteran with PTSD and heavy polysubstance use |
| Topics | PTSD |
| Key findings | This is the first case report of self-reported use of methoxetamine (MXE) in a US veteran with PTSD. |
Abstract
Methoxetamine (MXE) is a ketamine analogue with a high affinity for the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. MXE is a newly emerging designer drug of abuse and is widely available through on-line sources and is not detected by routine urine drug screens. In this report, we describe a United States (US) veteran with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and heavy polysubstance use, who injected high dose MXE for its calming effect. Given MXE's structural similarities to ketamine and recent work showing that ketamine reduces PTSD symptoms, we hypothesize that MXE alleviated this veteran's PTSD symptoms through action at the NMDA receptor and via influences on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). To our knowledge, this is the first case report of self-reported use of MXE in the US veteran population. More awareness of designer drugs, such as MXE, is an important first step in engaging patients in the treatment of designer drug addiction in both military/veteran settings and civilian settings.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on PTSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combining Cognitive-Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD with 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA): A Case Example. One couple with PTSD and a severe trauma history, participating in a pilot trial... | 2019 | Case study | n = 2 |
| Effects of intranasal (S)-ketamine on Veterans with co-morbid treatment-resistant depression and PTSD: A retrospective case series Veterans with co-morbid depression and PTSD | 2022 | Retrospective case series | n = 35 |
| Repeated oral esketamine in patients with treatment resistant depression and comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder Patients with treatment-resistant depression and comorbid PTSD | 2023 | Case series | n = 5 |
| Treatment of nightmares in the context of posttraumatic stress disorder A client with chronic, severe posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) | 2010 | Case study | n = 1 |
| 5-MeO-DMT for post-traumatic stress disorder: a real-world longitudinal case study 23-year-old female with chronic refractory PTSD | 2023 | Case study | n = 1 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 9
- Synthetic surprise as the foundation of the psychedelic experience Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews January 15, 2024
- Antidepressants enter cells, organelles, and membranes. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024
- New insights into methoxetamine mechanisms of action: Focus on serotonergic 5-HT2 receptors in pharmacological and behavioral effects in the rat. Experimental Neurology November 1, 2021
- Self-medication with Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS): a Systematic Review International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction November 28, 2023
- “Becoming Your Own Psychologist”: Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPSs) for Mood and Anxiety Disorder Self-Medication Psychoactives August 20, 2025
and 4 more in the library
Cites 13
- A Randomized Trial of an N-methyl-D-aspartate Antagonist in Treatment-Resistant Major Depression Archives of General Psychiatry August 1, 2006
- Subanesthetic Effects of the Noncompetitive NMDA Antagonist, Ketamine, in Humans Archives of General Psychiatry March 1, 1994
- Mystical experiences occasioned by the hallucinogen psilocybin lead to increases in the personality domain of openness Journal of Psychopharmacology September 28, 2011
- Efficacy of Intravenous Ketamine for Treatment of Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder JAMA Psychiatry April 16, 2014
- The ketamine analogue methoxetamine and 3- and 4-methoxy analogues of phencyclidine are high affinity and selective ligands for the glutamate NMDA receptor. PLoS One June 14, 2016
and 8 more in the library