International Clinical Psychopharmacology
January 1, 1998
Gilberto Gerra, A. Zaimovic, Giuliano Giucastro et al.
145 citations
Chronic use of MDMA (Ecstasy) is associated with impaired serotonin system function and behavioral changes. Fifteen MDMA users without other drug dependencies showed significantly reduced prolactin and cortisol responses to a D-fenfluramine challenge compared to 15 control individuals, indicating serotonergic dysfunction. Clinically, users exhibited dysphoria, mood changes, tiredness, and sensation-seeking behavior. They scored higher on depression, hostility, and novelty-seeking measures. Prolactin responses negatively correlated with direct aggressiveness and novelty-seeking scores. The findings suggest a link between MDMA use and serotonin impairment, though a premorbid condition contributing to these differences cannot be ruled out.
International Clinical Psychopharmacology
January 1, 2000
A Lerner, Marc Gelkopf, Igor Oyffe et al.
39 citations
A small pilot open study tested whether clonidine, a drug that reduces sympathetic nervous activity, could help people with hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD) caused by LSD. Eight patients who had had HPPD for at least three months and had been drug-free for at least three months took a low dose of clonidine (0.025 mg three times daily) for two months. Two patients dropped out. Among the six who completed the study, scores on the Clinical Global Impression Scale dropped from an average of 5.25 (severe) to 2.5 (mild), and self-reported symptom severity fell from 4 to 2 on a 0-5 scale. The findings suggest that clonidine may alleviate LSD-related flashbacks linked to excessive sympathetic nervous activity in some patients.
International Clinical Psychopharmacology
April 23, 2021
Kyle T. Greenway, N. Garel, N. Goyette et al.
12 citations
Intravenous ketamine effectively treats bipolar depression, but its side-effect of dissociation can be distressing and treatment-limiting. Two patients with bipolar 1 disorder and severe depression received their first ketamine infusion without music and chose music for subsequent infusions. They reported that music improved tolerance of dissociative symptoms, reducing distress and aiding further treatments. Both achieved remission from treatment-resistant depression after six infusions. This is the first report of music's benefits with ketamine for bipolar 1 depression, building on prior research with psychedelics. Principles of music selection from that paradigm may apply to unipolar and bipolar depression, warranting further research.