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MDMA Plus Exposure Therapy for PTSD
Sponsor: Emory University
Summary
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating disorder. While effective treatments exist, some patients fail to receive the full benefits. Alternative treatment approaches are needed. 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a medicine associated with feelings of closeness and love for others, empathy, insightfulness, and feelings of peace or well-being. Recent research combining one or two doses of MDMA with psychotherapy has shown improvements in PTSD symptoms. For the present study, the researchers will investigate MDMA in combination with Prolonged Exposure therapy (PE), a gold-standard treatment for PTSD. All participants receive MDMA on the second day of a 10-day PE treatment program in which a PE therapy session occurs each day. This study will occur at the Emory Brain Health Center. Potential participants will be recruited via community advertising and mental health referrals. The research team will also collect psychophysiological data for exploratory analyses regarding how MDMA may improve PE treatment for PTSD. This is an important study as it is the first time MDMA will be combined with an evidence-based existing PTSD treatment. The study population will consist of people who meet the criteria for PTSD and are medically appropriate for MDMA administration.
Official title: A Pilot Study of MDMA-Assisted Massed Exposure Therapy for PTSD (MDMA PE)
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
21 Years - 70 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
40
Start Date
2024-02-13
Completion Date
2026-05-29
Last Updated
2026-01-21
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
MDMA
Participants will receive MDMA HCl (100 mg, 84 mg MDMA) in combination with massed exposure therapy for PTSD.
Locations (1)
Emory Brain Health Center
Atlanta, Georgia, United States