DiagnosticsMarch 10, 2023Liliana Dragomir, Virginia Marina, Mihaela Anghele et al.
MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine; commonly referred to as “Molly” or “ecstasy”) is a synthetic compound, structurally and pharmacologically similar to both amphetamines and mescaline. MDMA differs somewhat from traditional amphetamines in that it is not structurally similar to serotonin. Cocaine is rare and cannabis is consumed less frequently than in Western Europe. Heroin is the drug...
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), a recreational drug, induces euphoric sensations and psychosocial effects, such as increased sociability and empathy. Serotonin, also called 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is a neurotransmitter that has been associated with MDMA-induced prosocial effects. However, the detailed neural mechanisms remain elusive. In the present study, we investigated whether...
In February 2023, Australia became the first country in the world to allow psychiatrists to prescribe 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This may have left interested clinicians looking for practical examples of the use of MDMA. In the 1950s and 1960s, psychedelics were successfully utilized in the treatment of alcoholism. This case study, the...
Abstract MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) was originally synthesized and patented by the Merck chemical company in 1914. It was not explored for human use until the 1970–80s when there were published reports that it could be a useful catalyst to psychotherapy, in part because it often produced reduced anxiety and increased emotional openness. In 1985, in response to media attention to...
Within the modern resurgence of psychedelics as medicinal agents for a range of conditions, the story of MDMA (Ecstasy, Molly) has been re-narrated from a dangerous street drug to a breakthrough mental health therapy. Even still, the story of MDMA remains incomplete within a binary discourse of deviant recreational use versus psychotherapeutic-medical use. The present research aimed to uncover...
Methylone is one of the most common synthetic cathinones popularized as a substitute for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, midomafetamine) owing to its similar effects among users. Both psychostimulants exhibit similar chemistry (i.e., methylone is a β-keto analog of MDMA) and mechanisms of action. Currently, the pharmacology of methylone remains scarcely explored in humans. Herein, we...
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...