November 30, 2026 Frances Clemente
Abstract The book investigates the notion of ecstasy in Italian culture and literature between 1861 and 1915. Combining historical and cultural investigation with literary analysis, it traces the circulation and spreading of ecstatic phenomena in a variety of different discourses, specifically, those related to religion, science, and ‘occulture’, and the ways they were portrayed by Italian...
ANCIENT LAND September 10, 2026 Samir Arab
The present article examines the concept of ecstasy as a pathway to existential freedom in Zorba the Greek through a Nietzschean philosophical framework. It argues that Nikos Kazantzakis constructs the character of Zorba as the embodiment of Friedrich Nietzsche's ideal of lifeaffirmation, transcending conventional moral constraints through instinct, creativity, and joyful selfovercoming. By...
J Trauma Stress September 4, 2026
Healing together: Results from a pilot trial of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine-enhanced cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder.
PsyArXiv Preprints August 31, 2026 preprint
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is widely described as an “empathogen”, yet empathy is not a unitary process. Here we review MDMA’s social effects by decomposing them into social perception and emotion discrimination, sociability and social reward, affective sharing, cognitive empathy and mentalizing, and prosocial behaviour. Available evidence gathered in humans and other mammals...
The American journal of hospice & palliative care August 28, 2026 Krishna S Hanubal, Akul N Munjal, Jino Park et al.
PurposeDespite most psychedelic substances remaining Schedule I, clinical research exploring psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) in oncology is expanding. We sought to assess oncology providers' attitudes toward and understanding of PAT.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey of healthcare professionals involved in oncology across five academic institutions in California, South Carolina,...
August 28, 2026 Holly Hepburn
Renewed clinical interest in psychedelics has drawn attention to their challenging effects, yet most phenomenological and psychometric work derives from psilocybin, leaving cross-substance variation underexplored. This thesis employed codebook thematic analysis to examine challenging experiences across DMT, psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine, utilising 146 naturalistic accounts collected from...
Neurosci Biobehav Rev August 14, 2026
Subacute and long-term changes in cognitive functioning after administration of classic psychedelics, MDMA and ketamine: A systematic review of clinical and preclinical evidence.
Clinical Psychologist August 13, 2026 Rita Ildiko Csako, Daniel Shepherd, Emese E. Vitalis et al.
Objective MDMA-Assisted Therapy (MDMA-AT) has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of several mental health conditions, most notably post-traumatic stress disorder. To better understand what shapes the attitudes of healthcare professionals we investigated whether psychologists’ own experience with MDMA impacts the attitudes towards the therapeutic and recreational uses of MDMA. Method The...
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) August 12, 2026 Orr Shahar, Perettz Golding, Masha Chaykin et al. preprint
Abstract Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a highly prevalent, debilitating psychiatric condition. Existing treatments are ineffective for many patients. 3,4- methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy has demonstrated substantial clinical efficacy but relies on prolonged, resource-intensive therapeutic protocols that limit scalability and accessibility. Here, we...
Journal of Psychopharmacology August 6, 2026 Tijmen P.L. Bostoen, Erwin Krediet, Annette van Schagen et al.
Background: The potential safety and efficacy of the psychedelic 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been researched in phase 2 and phase 3 clinical trials. We examined the occurrence and role of mystical experiences in MDMA-AT. Methods: Data were sourced from two phase 2 randomized trials of MDMA-AT for chronic PTSD, in...
Nature Medicine June 1, 2021 Jennifer Mitchell, Michael P. Bogenschutz, Alia Lilienstein et al. 965 citations
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) presents a major public health problem for which currently available treatments are modestly effective. We report the findings of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-site phase 3 clinical trial (NCT03537014) to test the efficacy and safety of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy for the treatment of patients with...
Lancet Psychiatry May 1, 2018 Michael C Mithoefer, Ann T Mithoefer, Allison A. Feduccia et al. 443 citations
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.
J Psychopharmacol July 19, 2010 Michael C Mithoefer, Mark T Wagner, Ann T Mithoefer et al. 672 citations
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.
BMC Pharmacology March 3, 2006 Dawn D. Han, Howard H. Gu 419 citations
Abstract Background The plasma membrane neurotransmitter transporters terminate neurotransmissions by the reuptake of the released neurotransmitters. The transporters for the monoamines dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin (DAT, NET, and SERT) are targets for several popular psychostimulant drugs of abuse. The potencies of the psychostimulant on the monoamine transporters have been studied...
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring March 19, 2004 Rafael de la Torre, Magı́ Farré, Pere N. Roset et al. 445 citations
MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, ecstasy) is a widely misused psychostimulant drug abused among large segments of the young population. Pharmacologically it displays effects related to amphetamine-type drugs and a set of distinctive effects (closeness to others, facilitation to interpersonal relationship, and empathy) that have been named by some authors "entactogen" properties. MDMA is...
Molecular Pharmacology December 1, 2001 James R. Bunzow, Mark S. Sonders, Seksiri Arttamangkul et al. 644 citations
The trace amine para-tyramine is structurally and functionally related to the amphetamines and the biogenic amine neurotransmitters. It is currently thought that the biological activities elicited by trace amines such as p-tyramine and the psychostimulant amphetamines are manifestations of their ability to inhibit the clearance of extracellular transmitter and/or stimulate the efflux of...
Synapse 2000 Richard B Rothman, Michael H. Baumann, Christina M Dersch et al. 933 citations
A large body of evidence supports the hypothesis that mesolimbic dopamine (DA) mediates, in animal models, the reinforcing effects of central nervous system stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamine. The role DA plays in mediating amphetamine-type subjective effects of stimulants in humans remains to be established. Both amphetamine and cocaine increase norepinephrine (NE) via stimulation of...
The Lancet October 1, 1998 Ud Mccann, Zsolt Szabó, Ursula Scheffel et al. 664 citations
Quantitative PET studies with a ligand selective for 5-HT transporters can be used to assess the status of 5-HT neurons in the living human brain. We show direct evidence of a decrease in a structural component of brain 5-HT neurons in human MDMA users.
British Journal of Addiction August 1, 1992 Nadia Solowij, Wayne Hall, Nicole Lee 417 citations
Abstract ‘Ecstasy’ (3,4‐methylenedioxymethampketamine or MDMA) is a recreational drug that is gaining popularity world wide. There is a paucity of research regarding the ways in which Ecstasy is used and the nature of its effects. A ‘snowball’ peer network technique was used to recruit 100 users who completed anonymous questionnaires. The research revealed that Ecstasy is primarily used by...
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences March 1, 1992 Gary Rudnick, S C Wall 533 citations
MDMA ("ecstasy") has been widely reported as a drug of abuse and as a neurotoxin. This report describes the mechanism of MDMA action at serotonin transporters from plasma membranes and secretory vesicles. MDMA stimulates serotonin efflux from both types of membrane vesicle. In plasma membrane vesicles isolated from human platelets, MDMA inhibits serotonin transport and [3H]imipramine binding by...
Journal of Neuroscience August 1, 1988 Elizabeth O’hearn, Giuseppe Battaglia, Eb de Souza et al. 546 citations
The psychotropic amphetamine derivatives 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) have been used for recreational and therapeutic purposes in man. In rats, these drugs cause large reductions in brain levels of serotonin (5-HT). This study employs immunocytochemistry to characterize the neurotoxic effects of these compounds upon monoaminergic neurons in...
Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics September 1, 1987 G. Battaglia, S. Yeh, E. O'Hearn et al. 459 citations
This study examines the effects of repeated systemic administration (20 mg/kg s.c., twice daily for 4 days) of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) on levels of brain monoamines, their metabolites and on the density of monoamine uptake sites in various regions of rat brain. Marked reductions (30-60%) in the concentration of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid...
Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 1987 C J Schmidt 530 citations
The neurochemical effects of the unique psychedelic agent, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), indicate it may be a serotonergic neurotoxin related to agents such as p-chloroamphetamine. MDMA had a biphasic effect on cortical serotonin concentrations beginning with an acute depletion of the transmitter which reached a maximum between 3 and 6 hr after drug administration. This early phase of...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs October 1, 1986 David E. Nichols 568 citations
(1986). Differences Between the Mechanism of Action of MDMA, MBDB, and the Classic Hallucinogens. Identification of a New Therapeutic Class: Entactogens. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs: Vol. 18, MDMA: Proceedings of the Conference, pp. 305-313.