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...
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...
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
August 21, 2026
Ivan Temprado-Ordiaz
preprint
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) has emerged as a promising therapeutic candidate for treatment-resistant neuropathic pain, offering a paradigm shift from transient palliative symptom masking toward disease-modifying neuroplastic reorganization. Preclinical and clinical evidence demonstrates that MDMA operates through an integrated, multi-tiered neurobiological cascade: presynaptic...
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
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...
International Journal on Science and Technology
August 6, 2026
Eric P. Rubenstein
Research on 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) has concentrated on moderate-to-high doses used in psychotherapy, controlled laboratory studies, and non-medical settings. This conceptual review asks whether intermittent, functionally perceptible low-dose exposure should be investigated as a distinct psychopharmacological architecture optimized for cumulative multi-day function rather than...
Journal of Psychopharmacology
August 6, 2026
Tijmen 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...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
August 5, 2026
Catherine S. Hwang, David C. Cameron, Allison O’Neill et al.
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy has emerged as a potential strategy to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We conducted a national serial cross-sectional study of U.S. Veterans with PTSD from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2023, to quantify the prevalence of potential contraindications, risk factors, and drug-drug interactions relevant to MDMA-assisted...
Toxicology Reports
August 4, 2026
Anila Jaleel, Mahnoor Khan, Kiran Namoos et al.
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "Ecstasy") is a widely abused recreational drug associated with multi-organ toxicity. Objective was to compare hepatic, renal, and systemic biochemical abnormalities after acute MDMA exposure alone and with alcohol. This cross-sectional pilot study was conducted at Sheikh Zayed bin Al Nahyan and Shalamar Medical and Dental Colleges, Pakistan. The study...