Frontiers in Psychiatry
October 26, 2022
Tor-Morten Kvam, Ivar W Goksøyr, Lowan H. Stewart et al.
11 citations
Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a world-leading cause of disability. The available treatments are not effective in all patients, and there is a significant need for more effective treatment options. Here we present the protocol for an investigator-initiated and publicly funded trial of MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) for MDD. This single-site, open-label study investigates the...
Frontiers in Psychiatry
October 12, 2022
Robert J Sottile, Thomas Vida
30 citations
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a devastating psychiatric disorder afflicting millions of people around the world. Characterized by severe anxiety, intrusive thoughts, pervasive nightmares, an assortment of somatic symptoms, associations with severe long-term health problems, and an elevated risk of suicide, as much as 40–70% of patients suffer from refractory disease....
Frontiers in Psychiatry
October 10, 2022
Christopher S. Stauffer, Melanie Brown, Dee Adams et al.
40 citations
Introduction Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people experience stigma, discrimination, trauma, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at higher rates compared to the general population; however, TGD people have been underrepresented in PTSD research. Clinical trials of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy demonstrate promising safety and efficacy for the...
Scientific Reports
October 10, 2022
Grant Jones, Matthew K. Nock
46 citations
Psychedelic compounds have been linked to salutary mental health outcomes in both naturalistic and clinical settings; however, current research on psychedelics suffers from a lack of inclusion and focus on racial and ethnic minorities. Thus, the goal of our study was to assess whether race and ethnicity moderate the associations that naturalistic lifetime MDMA...
Religions
October 9, 2022
Nathan E. Fisher
13 citations
While the trait of absorption has received a considerable amount of scientific study, states of absorption have been comparatively understudied and even less scholarly or scientific attention has been paid to those that are cultivated within the contemplative traditions of Islam and Judaism. This paper explores canonical descriptions of states of contemplative absorption in Islamic and Jewish...
Cureus
October 2022
Nava R Sharma, Bharosa Sharma, Saral Lamichhane et al.
The recreational use of a drug such as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), also known as "ecstasy," may be associated with significant side effects. Although liver failure with ecstasy is rare, the use of the drug should be investigated in all patients with severe hepatitis of unknown origin. Early diagnosis and intervention can prevent patients from ending up in liver transplantation....
Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior
October 2022
Hayley N. Manke, Katharine H Nelson, Shihui Huang et al.
Polydrug use is well documented in synthetic cathinone users, although the consequences of such use are not well characterized. In pre-clinical research, a pre-exposure to a drug has been reported to attenuate the aversive effects of other drugs which has implications for their abuse potential. The goal of the present study was to investigate the impact of pre-exposure to the synthetic...
Journal of Psychopharmacology
October 1, 2022
Grant Jones, Jocelyn A. Ricard, Peter S. Hendricks et al.
7 citations
INTRODUCTION: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA/"ecstasy") is an empathogen that can give rise to increased pleasure and empathy and may effectively treat post-traumatic stress disorder. Although prior research has demonstrated associations between ecstasy use and favorable mental health outcomes, the associations between ecstasy and physical health have largely been unexplored. Thus, the...
Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health
October 1, 2022
S. Parekh, Lydia Adams, Gillian A. Barkell et al.
7 citations
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a devastating disorder that involves maladaptive changes in immune status. Using the stress-enhanced fear learning (SEFL) paradigm, an animal model of PTSD, our laboratory has demonstrated increased pro-inflammatory cytokine immunoreactivity in the hippocampus following severe stress. Recent clinical trials have demonstrated...
Neurotoxicity Research
October 1, 2022
Asieh Hosseini, Seyed Mohammad-Hossein Shetab-Boushehri, Seyed Vahid Shetab-Boushehri
3 citations
Methamphetamine (MA) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) are empathogen (entactogen) psychoactive designer drugs which are mainly used for recreational purposes. Both MA and MDMA are central nervous system stimulants which are classified as monoamine neurotransmitter reuptake inhibitors. They have strong cytotoxic effects on dopaminergic and serotonergic neurons. Neurotoxicities of MA...