The efficacy and safety of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis from randomized controlled trials.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to systematically review and demonstrate the efficacy and safety of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treating PTSD.
Results Summary
MDMA-assisted psychotherapy effectively reduced PTSD symptoms compared to placebo or active controls, but adverse events such as muscle tightness, nausea, and decreased appetite were reported. Side effects and abuse potential remain barriers to clinical application.
Population
Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Effective Dosage
Not specified in the abstract.
Duration
Not specified in the abstract.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MDMA-assisted psychotherapy | decrease | the change from baseline score in the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale | patients with PTSD | - | effectively reduced | #1 |
MDMA | neutral | muscle tightness | - | - | causes | #2 |
MDMA | neutral | nausea | - | - | causes | #3 |
MDMA | decrease | decreased appetite | - | - | causes | #4 |
MDMA-assisted psychotherapy | increase | symptoms | patients with PTSD | - | may improve | #5 |
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy, is one of the most widely used illicit substances worldwide. MDMA-assisted psychotherapy has become a novel treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been performed over the past decade. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically review and demonstrate the efficacy and safety of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of PTSD. We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases up to October 27, 2023, selected RCTs assessing the efficacy and safety of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of PTSD, and evaluated their quality using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Seven RCTs were selected from the retrieved references. The results revealed that MDMA-assisted psychotherapy effectively reduced the change from baseline score in the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale in patients with PTSD compared with either placebo or active controls. However, MDMA causes a series of adverse events, including muscle tightness, nausea, and decreased appetite. To a certain extent, MDMA-assisted psychotherapy may improve symptoms in patients with PTSD. However, side effects and abuse issues still seriously hinder clinical application of MDMA.