Given that the efficacy of serotonin-reuptake inhibitors for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is limited, a group of researchers explored the use of MDMA.
Granted an FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation for its purported potential to effectively treat symptoms of mental illness, a study published in Nature Medicine considers the use of ecstasy for treating PTSD.
MDMA purportedly functions through its targeting of the serotonin system, possibly alleviating a host of symptoms, like severe anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, nightmares, and flashbacks.
As part of the phase 3 randomized clinical trial, 90 participants received MDMA for a span of 18 weeks, to test for its efficacy against PTSD.
Researchers tracked for adverse reactions throughout the entire duration of the study.
According to the findings: “These data indicate that, compared with manualized therapy with inactive placebo, MDMA-assisted therapy is highly efficacious in individuals with severe PTSD, and treatment is safe and well-tolerated, even in those with comorbidities.”
“We conclude that MDMA-assisted therapy represents a potential breakthrough treatment that merits expedited clinical evaluation,” author Jennifer Mitchel and her colleagues concluded in their findings.
