Ecstasy (literally, ‘standing outside’), that is, the sense of being outside or beyond the ordinary modes of consciousness, seems to be a universal trait of human existence. Among the many forms of ecstasy is religious, or ‘supra-normal’, ecstasy, which is seen as coming from the action of a higher source, or divinity. This essay examines the forms of religious ecstasy and related terminology...
Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is a burgeoning treatment with growing interest across a variety of settings and disciplines. Empirical evidence supports PAT as a novel therapeutic approach that provides safe and effective treatment for people suffering from a variety of diagnoses, including treatment-resistant depression, substance use disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Within...
The word ‘misuse’ as used in many Anglophone countries signifies the non-authorised use of medicines that can, in appropriate circumstances, be legally used. By contrast, The World Health Organization prefers the term ‘abuse’. Depending on the jurisdiction, the substances in question are referred to as either scheduled or controlled drugs. Overall drug use by adults in England and Wales has...
Background: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) has shown initial promise as an adjunct in psychotherapy to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Its efficacy and safety have been demonstrated across phase I–III studies. However, the mechanism underlying the potential utility of MDMA to treat PTSD in humans has not yet been thoroughly investigated. Preliminary evidence suggests that...
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted breakthrough therapy status to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) in 2017 due to preliminary evidence supporting its efficacy and safety in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A series of six phase-II clinical trials studying MDMA-AT for treatment-resistant PTSD found that 54% of MDMA-AT full-dose...
Numerous studies have confirmed that 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) produces long-lasting changes to the density of the serotonin reuptake transporter (SERT). Amitriptyline (AMI) has been shown to exert neuroprotective properties in neuropathologic injury. Here, we used a SERT-specific radionuclide, 4-[18F]-ADAM, to assess the longitudinal alterations in SERT binding and evaluate the...
Background: Limited ethnoracial diversity in previous ±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) trials for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has prompted questions concerning whether Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) also benefit from this treatment. Methods: Secondary analysis was conducted using a modified intent-to-treat sample pooled from two Phase 2...
The profound economic burden of schizophrenia is due, in part, to the negative symptoms of the disease, which can severely limit daily functioning. There is much debate in the field regarding their measurement and classification and there are no FDA-approved treatments for negative symptoms despite an abundance of research. 3,4-Methylenedioxy methamphetamine (MDMA) is a schedule I substance...
Behavioral sensitization to MDMA is observed in the vast majority of rats if tested in the same environment in which previous MDMA exposure occurred, but not if tested in a novel, unpaired context. Previous studies have revealed a critical role for the prelimbic region of medial prefrontal cortex (PL) in the expression of sensitization to MDMA, but these studies assessed sensitization only in...
Abstract3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “Ecstasy”) use has been linked to persistent alterations of the brain serotonergic (5-HT) system in animal and human studies, but the molecular underpinnings are still unclear. Cytoskeletal structures such as neurofilament light chain (NfL) are promising markers of drug-induced brain toxicity and may be involved in MDMA neurotoxicity. The...
IntroductionPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric condition which can be developed following traumatic experience. Treatment guidelines have long considered psychotherapy as a first line treatment. Despite that, PTSD remains an illness with high rates of comorbidity. Therefore, exploring novel therapies is of utmost importance.ObjectivesClarifying methylenedioxymethamphetamine...
European PsychiatryJune 1, 2022S. Pratas Penedos, M.j. Freire, I. Fonseca et al.
IntroductionPTSD is a chronic, debilitating condition with limited treatment efficacy. Accessing traumatic memories often leads to overwhelming distress, impacting treatment process. Current approved pharmacological treatments have exhibited small to moderate effects when compared with placebo. Evidence suggests 3,4,-methylene-dioxymethamphetamine(MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy as a viable option...
We are amidst a 'Renaissance' in the field of psychedelic psychiatry. For several decades, following a period of promising research, governmental barriers and regulations halted any research into the utility of these substances in psychiatry. Over the past few decades, however, we are seeing a revival of these studies due to an abundance of positive findings as well as the need for improved...
medRxivMay 27, 2022S. P. Singleton, J. B. Wang, M. Mithoefer et al.
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3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has demonstrated promise in multiple clinical trials. MDMA is hypothesized to facilitate the therapeutic process, in part, by decreasing fear response during fear memory processing while increasing extinction learning retention. The acute administration of MDMA in healthy controls modifies...
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or “ecstasy”) is a drug of abuse used by millions worldwide. MDMA human abuse and dependence is well described, but addictive properties are not always consistent among studies. This amphetamine is a substrate type releaser, binding to monoamine transporters, leading to a pronounced release of serotonin and noradrenaline and to a minor extent dopamine....
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that often presents after exposure to a traumatic, life-threatening event. Experiencing a traumatic event is not rare, with inciting incidents ranging from being burglarized to politically motivated genocide. While traditional psychopharmacology and psychotherapy are the mainstays of the treatment of PTSD currently, psychoactive drugs...
Psychedelic science has generated hundreds of compelling published studies yet with relatively little impact on mainstream psychology. I propose that social psychologists have much to gain by incorporating psychoactive substances into their research programs. Here I use (±)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) as an example because of its documented ability in experiments and clinical...
Despite the recent promising results of MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine) as a psychotherapeutic agent and its history of misuse, little is known about its molecular mode of action. MDMA enhances monoaminergic neurotransmission in the brain and its valuable psychoactive effects are associated to a dual action on the 5-HT transporter (SERT). This drug inhibits the reuptake of 5-HT...
Background Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD) is characterized by the re-emergence of perceptual symptoms experienced during acute hallucinogen intoxication following drug cessation. The underlying pathophysiology is poorly understood. We report the clinical characteristics and investigation findings of a series of HPPD cases with a literature review of previous case reports. We...
AbstractMDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), a synthetic ring-substituted amphetamine, combined with psychotherapy has demonstrated efficacy for the treatment of chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients. This controlled prospective study aimed to assess the bio-behavioral underpinnings of MDMA in a translational model of PTSD. Rats exposed to predator-scent stress (PSS) were...