Mitchell, J. M., Bogenschutz, M., &amp; Lilienstein, A. (2021, May 10). MDMA-Assisted therapy for severe PTSD: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 study. Nature News. Retrieved June 14, 2022, from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-021-01336-3?language%5B%5D=en 

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

In 2021 the FDA approved the use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) for the treatment of PTSD. The compound was studied as a treatment as studies suggest it acts by binding to the presynaptic serotonin transporters inducing a release of serotonin. The trials conducted administered three doses of MDMA paired with manualized therapy during an eighteen-week treatment plan. The results of the study showed significantly reduced symptoms of depression as well as regulated amygdalar serotonergic function in comparison to the control (placebo) group. Each study conducted showed similar results which led to the approval for the regulated use of MDMA to treat PTSD symptoms.

Treatment of PTSD using MDMA (Ecstasy)

Reference - Treatment of PTSD using MDMA 

McTavish, Jill R., et al. “Child Sexual Abuse, Disclosure and PTSD: A Systematic and Critical Review.” Child Abuse &amp; Neglect, vol. 92, 2019, pp. 196–208, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.04.006. 

Child sexual abuse, disclosure and PTSD: A systematic and critical review

Jardim, A. V., Jardim, D. V., Chaves, B. R., Steglich, M., Ot’alora G., M., Mithoefer, M. C., da Silveira, D. X., Tófoli, L. F., Ribeiro, S., Matthews, R., Doblin, R., & Schenberg, E. E. (2021). 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy for victims of sexual abuse with severe post-traumatic stress disorder: An open label pilot study in Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry, 43(2), 181–185. https://doi.org/10.1590/1516-4446-2020-0980 

3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy for victims of sexual abuse with severe post-traumatic stress disorder: an open label pilot study in Brazil

Brazil is a country with increasing rates of violence. Violence is associated with mental health disorders such as PTSD, for which a range of 1.3 to 4.9 percent of the population qualifies due to events such as sexual abuse or similar molestations. In this regard, a selected sample that qualified for PTSD diagnoses and reported being victims of sexual abuse underwent a set of MDMA  interventions to understand the clinical effects of the drug in terms of the relief of  PTSD symptomatology.

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