Researchers Explore MDMA-Assisted Therapy to Help Military Members with PTSD
Ralph "Raef" Baard
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A Groundbreaking Approach to PTSD Treatment
A groundbreaking clinical trial led by The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, in collaboration with Emory University, aims to enhance PTSD treatment for military personnel by combining MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy) with Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy. This innovative study, backed by a $4.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense, seeks to improve recovery rates for service members suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
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The Science Behind MDMA and Prolonged Exposure Therapy
The trial, spearheaded by Dr. Alan Peterson of UT Health San Antonio’s STRONG STAR Consortium, will investigate how MDMA’s neuroplasticity-enhancing properties can optimize PE therapy outcomes. PE, a well-established PTSD treatment, helps individuals process traumatic memories in a controlled and supportive setting. However, recovery rates for military members have plateaued at approximately 50%, necessitating novel approaches to enhance its effectiveness.
MDMA has demonstrated significant promise in previous studies by increasing neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to adapt—over a two-week period, making it a compelling candidate for boosting therapeutic outcomes. Researchers hypothesize that incorporating a single dose of MDMA early in treatment will help rewire emotional memory circuits associated with PTSD, improving symptom reduction and overall recovery.
Study Design and Methodology
The STRONG STAR trial will enroll 100 active-duty, guard, and reserve personnel, with 75 participants treated at UT Health San Antonio and 25 at Emory University. Following an initial therapy session, participants will receive a controlled dose of MDMA in their second session, facilitated by trained therapists. The trial will also assess optimal dosing strategies through a double-blind, randomized approach.
A key component of the study is the integration of massed PE therapy, an accelerated treatment model in which sessions occur daily over two weeks rather than spanning months. Early findings from the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program suggest that this condensed timeline aligns well with MDMA’s neuroplasticity effects, potentially leading to more rapid and lasting PTSD symptom relief.
Expected Outcomes and Future Implications
Researchers will assess participants at one and three months post-treatment, measuring reductions in PTSD symptoms, suicidal ideation, and depression, as well as improvements in duty readiness, interpersonal relationships, and psychosocial well-being.
Dr. Peterson believes that if successful, this approach could revolutionize PTSD treatment within military and VA healthcare systems. Given the widespread availability of PE therapy, integrating a single MDMA dose could provide a scalable solution for service members in need. Additionally, the model may be adaptable for intensive outpatient treatment programs, further expanding access to life-changing care.
A Potential Paradigm Shift in PTSD Treatment
“This trial has the potential to set a new standard of care for PTSD treatment,” said Peterson. “By leveraging MDMA’s therapeutic properties alongside proven psychotherapy methods, we hope to provide our nation’s warfighters with a truly effective path to healing.”
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Director R&D
2 天前To my knowledge, the Navy Seals have been crossing the border into Tijuana (from their base in SD) to seek Psilocybin Therapy for PTSD relief for at least over the last 20 years. This is likely a result of them hearing of the work being organized by the Heffter Institute (Heffter.org) in NM. We should all credit modern hallucinogen based PTSD treatments to David E Nichols for founding Heffter in 1993 . I believe he first published great breaking work on MDMA way back in 1973 when he was a PD at Iowa, collaborating with Alexander "Sasha" Shulgin. And I doubt any one individual in the world has studied MDMA more intensely than Dr Dave over those decades since, either. He absolutely doesn't get enough credit (has unfortunately gotten no credit in actuality) What a visionary individual . He made all this possible, more than any other single human being ????