Biological Psychiatry
June 3, 2019
Anya K. Bershad, Scott T. Schepers, Michael P. Bremmer et al.
176 citations
Single very low doses of LSD (6.5, 13, and 26 micrograms) produce dose-related subjective effects in healthy young adults. The highest dose (26 μg) increased ratings of vigor and slightly decreased positivity ratings of images with positive emotional content. Other mood measures, cognition, and physiological measures were unaffected. A threshold dose of 13 μg might be used safely in an investigation of repeated administrations. It remains to be determined whether the drug improves mood or cognition in individuals with symptoms of depression.
Journal of Psychopharmacology
August 26, 2016
Anya K. Bershad, Melissa A. Miller, Matthew J. Baggott et al.
104 citations
MDMA, a recreational drug, enhances sociability and feelings of closeness more than other stimulants like dextroamphetamine, methamphetamine, and methylphenidate. This review compares human laboratory studies on the social effects of MDMA versus other stimulants, from simple ratings of sociability to complex social behaviors, and examines the neurochemical mechanisms involved. The findings suggest that MDMA's distinct prosocial effects may underlie its recreational use and potential as a psychotherapy aid, distinguishing it from typical stimulants.
Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging
December 20, 2019
Anya K. Bershad, Katrin H. Preller, Royce Lee et al.
95 citations
A very low dose of LSD (13 μg) alters brain connectivity in circuits involved in emotion, even though it produces negligible subjective changes. In healthy young adults, the dose increased amygdala connectivity with the right angular gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus, and cerebellum, while decreasing connectivity with the postcentral and superior temporal gyri. Effects on positive mood were weak and variable, but increases in positive mood correlated with stronger amygdala–middle frontal gyrus connectivity. These preliminary findings suggest that sub-perceptual doses of LSD can modulate limbic brain networks, though further research with repeated dosing is needed to clarify any potential antidepressant effects.
Social Neuroscience
January 20, 2016
Anya K. Bershad, Jessica Weafer, Matthew G. Kirkpatrick et al.
35 citations
MDMA (ecstasy) increases sociability and empathy, likely through the release of oxytocin. A single-letter variation in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR rs53576) influences how people respond to the drug. In a double-blind, within-subjects study, 68 healthy volunteers with past MDMA experience received placebo, 0.75 mg/kg, or 1.5 mg/kg of MDMA. At the higher dose, individuals with the A/A genotype did not show the increase in sociability seen in G allele carriers. No genotypic differences appeared at the lower dose or in cardiovascular or other subjective effects. The results suggest MDMA-induced sociability depends on oxytocin signaling and that genetic variation in the oxytocin receptor modulates the drug's social effects.
Biological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging
February 9, 2024
Yasmin Schmid, Anya K. Bershad
15 citations
MDMA and serotonergic psychedelics both produce prosocial effects, but they do so through different mechanisms that may influence which psychosocial interventions work best with each compound. This narrative overview compares evidence across four categories of prosocial effects: altered self-image, responses to social reward, responses to negative social input, and social neuroplasticity. MDMA alters self-perception in a way less tied to mystical-type states than serotonergic psychedelics. MDMA enhances responses to social reward, while serotonergic psychedelics may also do so but require more research. Both drug classes dampen reactivity to negative social stimuli and induce social neuroplasticity in preclinical evidence, promoting adaptive rewiring of neural circuits that may aid trauma processing.
Psychopharmacology
July 1, 2017
Anya K. Bershad, Melissa A. Miller, Harriet de Wit
12 citations
MDMA (ecstasy) did not reduce stress responses during a public speaking task in healthy adults. In a randomized trial, 39 volunteers received placebo, 0.5 mg/kg, or 1.0 mg/kg MDMA before a stress and a no-stress session. The stress task increased heart rate, cortisol, and subjective stress in all groups. MDMA alone raised heart rate, cortisol, and subjective stress ratings, but it did not moderate reactions to the Trier Social Stress Test. The findings indicate that MDMA's therapeutic effects in PTSD may not extend to acute psychosocial stress.
Biological psychiatry
May 15, 2025
Anya K. Bershad, Harriet de Wit
3 citations
Disrupted social homeostasis underlies many behavioral disorders, including problematic drug use. This narrative review examines whether single doses of psychoactive drugs can relieve the discomfort of social isolation and promote social connection. For opioid drugs, mu opioid agonists and kappa opioid antagonists reduce distress from social isolation, and mu opioid agonists enhance social reward. Amphetamine-like stimulant drugs, including MDMA, do not reduce the distress of social isolation but increase motivation for social contact and the pleasure derived from social interaction. Many questions remain, including whether these effects contribute to problematic drug use and the effects of drug withdrawal or dependence on social function.
Neurorehabilitation
September 27, 2024
Walter Dunn, Anya K. Bershad, David E. Krantz et al.
2 citations
MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD, supported by late-stage clinical trials, may be especially beneficial for military populations. MDMA's pro-social and fear-regulating properties could enhance the therapeutic alliance and patient engagement during neurorehabilitation. The molecular mechanism of MDMA is outlined, and a novel application for neurorehabilitation is proposed. Similarities in patient-therapist dynamics between PTSD treatment and neurorehabilitation suggest that MDMA's ability to downregulate fear, increase cognitive flexibility, and improve alliance could aid military personnel both with and without PTSD.