Frontier mental health research: psychedelics & drug studies

Each month our editorial team sifts through hundreds of papers and curates notable findings—for practitioners and informed readers who want to stay current with the evidence. Subscribe to the monthly Research Digest for expert analysis and concise summaries of key papers.

2 papers

MDMA-assisted therapy for severe PTSD: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 study

Jennifer Mitchell, Michael P. Bogenschutz, Alia Lilienstein, Charlotte Harrison, Sarah E. Kleiman, Kelly Parker-Guilbert, et al.
Nature Medicine Summary & key facts 2021 901 citations

This randomized, double-blind phase 3 trial tested MDMA-assisted therapy versus placebo with the same therapy in 90 adults with severe PTSD. Participants had three drug sessions plus preparatory and integration therapy, and were assessed 18 weeks after starting. The MDMA group had larger drops in PTSD symptoms and in functional…

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Psychedelics and Drug Studies Sleep and Wakefulness Research

MDMA-assisted therapy for moderate to severe PTSD: a randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial

Mitchell, Jennifer M., Ot’alora G., Marcela, van der Kolk, Bessel, et al.
Nature Summary & key facts 2023 347 citations

This multi-site, randomized, double-blind phase 3 trial tested MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) versus placebo with the same therapy in 104 people with moderate to severe PTSD. Blinded assessors found larger average reductions in PTSD symptoms and in functional impairment for the MDMA-AT group than for the placebo group. The MDMA group…

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Psychedelics and Drug Studies Tryptophan and brain disorders
Summaries and links are for general information and education only. They are not a substitute for reading the original publication or for professional medical, legal, or other advice. Always refer to the linked source for the full study.