3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of chronic posttraumatic stress disorder
Treating PTSD With MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disabling condition characterized by overwhelming negative emotions, intrusive re-experiencing of traumatic events, panic, anxiety, and impaired cognition. Approximately 8% of the general US population will suffer from PTSD in their lifetime, and that percentage skyrockets for members of the US military. There is an immense need for innovative treatment options that improve outcomes, so the groundbreaking discovery of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy’s unprecedented effectiveness in treating PTSD has come at a critical point in time.
About the study
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy is a novel approach that combines psychotherapy with a limited administration of MDMA in a controlled setting to enable people suffering from PTSD to process trauma more effectively. This phase 2 trial demonstrates the efficacy of MDMA for PTSD, describing its unique subjective and therapeutic effects as a result of specific neurophysiological interactions.
MDMA increases activity in the hippocampus (memory center) and decreases activity in the amygdala (fear center), so patients are able to revisit traumatic events without experiencing the usual overwhelming fear. This allows the patient to work through the traumas with a skilled, trained psychotherapist and effectively find freedom from the tight grip of these PTSD states. Perhaps the most promising aspect of these MDMA-assisted psychotherapy studies is the long-sustained results afterwards, as many participants show further reductions in PTSD and depression symptom scores in long-term follow-ups.
