New psychedelic treatment for PTSD discovered
A new study has found that the key ingredient in the illicit drug known as Ecstasy or Molly could ease the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
When combined with intense talk therapy, the study reports that MDMA significantly eased symptoms in those struggling with severe PTSD.
“This is a big deal,” Steven Gold, a clinical psychologist in Fort Lauderdale and professor emeritus at Nova Southeastern University in Florida told ScienceNews. “All other things being equal, the use of psychedelic medication can significantly improve the outcome.”
Though the findings, published in Nature Medicine, are preliminary, they offer hope to the millions of people with PTSD who are in desperate need of new treatments. Antidepressants such as Zoloft and Paxil are often prescribed to these patients, but don’t work for an estimated 40 to 60 percent of people with PTSD.
How did they test it?
The study involved 90 people across 15 sites in the United States, Canada, and Israel. All participants received 15 therapy sessions with therapists who were trained to guide people experiencing the drug.
Of the 90 participants, half received MDMA in three eight-hour therapy sessions while the other half received placebos.
MDMA, true to its nickname Ecstasy, evokes feelings of bliss and social connectedness. Those who took either the drug or the placebo wore eye covers, listened to music, and occasionally talked to their therapist about their experience during the sessions.
By the end of the 18-week trial, most participants showed fewer PTSD symptoms such as unwanted, intrusive memories.
But, those who took MDMA experienced the best benefits.
By the trial’s end, 67 percent of the participants taking MDMA had improved so much they no longer qualified for a PTSD diagnosis.
In comparison, 32 percent of those taking the placebo no longer met the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis by the end of the study.
Many participants had been living with severe PTSD for years.
“Typically, we see PTSD as a disorder for life. Now, we may begin to let that go,” said Eric Vermetten, a psychiatrist at the Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands who works with veterans and military members with PTSD and was not involved in the study.
Though it isn’t exactly clear how the drug changes the brain, some imaging studies suggest MDMA dampens activity in the amygdala, a structure in the brain involved in fear. Other results from studies in mice suggest the drug may heighten social learning, which may strengthen the relationship between a patient and their therapist.
The study did require a significant amount of emotional work before, during and after the MDMA sessions too.
“[MDMA] is not a magic pill,” co-author Amy Emerson said.
Since more than 75 percent of the cohort were white, Gold said it is unclear whether the effects would be similar with a more diverse group of people. Nor is it clear how long the effects might last.
Another clinical trial is in the works, but restrictions on MDMA in the United States have complicated future research.
“There are a lot of barriers to break down related to this treatment,” Emerson said. “And there is a lot of hope.”