Psilocybin and MDMA for the treatment of trauma-related psychopathology
International Review of Psychiatry April 3, 2021 Catherine I. V. Bird, Nadav L. Modlin, James J. H. Rucker 78 citations
Trauma contributes to many psychiatric conditions beyond PTSD, with major depressive disorder (MDD) being the most common. About half of PTSD cases also have MDD, and their overlapping symptoms and neurobiology raise questions about whether they are distinct disorders or a single trauma-related phenotype. Traditional treatments have had mixed success. Drug-assisted psychotherapy, combining medication with therapy, is emerging as a novel approach. Psilocybin- and MDMA-assisted psychotherapy have received FDA 'breakthrough therapy' designation for resistant MDD and PTSD, respectively. This review examines the rationale for using these substances to treat trauma-related MDD and PTSD.