It has recently been demonstrated that aromatic bromination at C(2) abolishes all typical psychomotor, and some key prosocial effects of the entactogen MDMA in rats. Nevertheless, the influence of aromatic bromination on MDMA-like effects on higher cognitive functions remains unexplored. In the present work, the effects of MDMA and its brominated analog 2Br-4,5-MDMA (1 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg i.p....
Abstract Impairment in social functioning is a common source of morbidity across many mental health disorders, yet there is a dearth of effective and easily implemented interventions to support social functioning. MDMA/ecstasy and classic psychedelics (psilocybin, LSD, peyote, mescaline) represent two potential treatments for impairments in social functioning, as evidence suggests these...
BackgroundPrevious research has demonstrated that epigenetic changes in specific hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) genes may predict successful psychotherapy in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A recent Phase 3 clinical trial reported high efficacy of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy for treating patients with severe PTSD compared to a therapy with placebo...
Psychedelics are experiencing a strong renaissance and will soon be incorporated into clinical practice. However, there is uncertainty about how much harm they can cause at what doses. This review aimed to collect information on the health-hazardous doses of psychedelic substances, to be aware of the risks to which patients may be subjected. We focused on ergolamines, simple tryptamines, and...
Roughly over 700 million individuals suffer from a mental illness globally. In the United States alone, over 45 million individuals are afflicted with a mental disorder at any given point in their lives. It is because of this that new methods of current therapies should be considered. To date, major depression disorder (MAD), anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are treated with...
EDM event attendees are a high-risk population for substance use and associated adverse effects. The aim of this study was to examine substance use at EDM events, focusing on associations between attendance motives and substance use. Sociodemographic characteristics, event specifics, past-year use, and attendance motives were assessed through an online survey. Participants were 1345 Belgian EDM...
<p>Examining participants’ experiences self-medicating with LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA, this exploratory study sought to determine whether psychedelics have a future in New Zealand mental health treatment. This thesis employed a mixed-methods approach to data collection, by collecting broad-brush quantitative data via a Qualtrics survey, which then informed the qualitative data collection method...
Objective: To assess the role of psychedelics in the treatment of anxiety or depression among patients with cancer. Data Sources: PubMed search from inception to March 11, 2022, using the terms anxiety, depression, psychedelics, psilocybin, lysergic acid, methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or ayahuasca. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Studies assessing patients with cancer receiving...
In recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances such as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). This renaissance of psychedelic studies opens the door for a new paradigm in psychiatric medicine: drug-facilitated psychotherapy. In this study we report the findings of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-site Phase...
Introduction: This study offers insights into Dutch young people’s expected social and personal consequences of ecstasy use. Substance use expectancies are assumed to be an essential component in explaining substance use behaviour and, therefore, the development of effective substance use prevention and treatment strategies. Method: Dutch young adults with an online interest in drug-related...
La 3,4-metilendioximetanfetamina (MDMA) se clasifica como un entactógeno que produce sentimientos de apertura emocional y relación. Una característica única de la MDMA es que las personas tienden a tomar esta droga de manera selectiva en situaciones sociales y/o íntimas. Aunque se reconoce que la MDMA tiene riesgo de abuso, los estudios preclínicos informan que tiene efectos de refuerzo débiles...
This review focuses on the effects and mechanisms of action of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) and their adverse effects on the cardiovascular, nervous, and immune systems. ATS include amphetamine (AMPH), methamphetamine (METH, "crystalmeth," or "ice"), methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy," or "Molly"), MDMA derivatives (e.g., methylenedioxyamphetamine [MDA] and...
Addictive Behaviors2023James E Sottile, Kathryn S Macia, Robert E Wickham et al.
MDMA/Ecstasy motives differ from those of other substances such as alcohol, cannabis, and methamphetamine. Previous literature on alcohol and cannabis use identified social, expansion, enhancement, coping, and conformism as primary motives for use. MDMA/Ecstasy users also report using the drug for increases in self-awareness and energy. The development of an MDMA/Ecstasy use motives assessment...
Hallucinogens are a broad category of substances encompassing drugs with diverse pharmacological, phenomenological, and adverse effects. In this chapter, the focus is on disorders caused by and exacerbated by two classes of hallucinogens. These are classic psychedelics (drugs including LSD and psilocybin that exert subjective effects principally by 5HT_2A agonism) and the substituted...
Extinction is the process by which the memory of a learned conditioned association decreases over time and with introduction of new associations. It is a vital part of fear learning, and it is critical to recovery in multiple fear-related disorders, including Specific and Social Phobias, Panic Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The process...
Background PTSD in adolescence causes much suffering and has substantial health-care costs. Many patients with severe PTSD do not respond to psychotherapy or continue to have symptoms despite trauma-focused psychotherapies and psychopharmacological treatment. A recent alternative in the search for cost-effective treatments for PTSD in adults is 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted...
AMA Nowak M, Górczyńska J, Gebuza M. MDMA-assisted psychotherapy in the treatment of PTSD in adults – literature review. Pharmacotherapy in Psychiatry and Neurology/Farmakoterapia w Psychiatrii i Neurologii. 2023;39(2):131-142. doi:10.5114/fpn.2023.133519. APA Nowak, M., Górczyńska, J., & Gebuza, M. (2023). MDMA-assisted psychotherapy in the treatment of PTSD in adults – literature review....
Psychedelics were used in the treatment of psychiatric conditions prior to their prohibition in the late 1960s. In the past three decades, there is a revived research interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs with expected FDA approvals for treatment of various conditions. Given the exponential scientific growth of this field, we sought to characterize, analyze, and visualize...
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent psychiatric condition that significantly impacts daily functioning in patients but lacks adequate treatment options. 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) as an adjunct to psychotherapy for the treatment of PTSD has been studied increasingly for the last two decades and has shown promising results through quantitative data. However, few...
This comprehensive review delves into the intricate interplay between gender/sex and MDMA use, drawing upon recent evidence. It explores how girls, as a means of coping with negative emotions, often resort to drug use, while boys primarily initiate drug use due to peer pressure or sensation-seeking tendencies. Women, frequently having endured traumatic life events, may turn to MDMA as a form of...