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MDMA treats PTSD + eating disorders simultaneously

MDMA-assisted therapy significantly reduces eating disorder symptoms in a randomized placebo-controlled trial of adults with severe PTSD

Patients with PTSD often have eating disorders too. MDMA is known to improve self acceptance and emotional processing, so it may be the perfect treatment for both!

In MAPS’ Phase 3 trial on MDMA for PTSD, 42%* of patients scored in the “clinical” or “at-risk” range on an eating disorder scale prior to the treatment.

MDMA therapy was found to significantly reduce eating disorder symptoms in comparison to a placebo.

MAPS is commencing a multi-site Phase 2 trial this May to further examine MDMA therapy on both anorexia and binge eating.

*Patients with active purging were excluded as a precaution to avoid cardiac arrhythmias.

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Ketamine found to be safe and effective for teen depression

Efficacy of Intravenous Ketamine in Adolescent Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Randomized Midazolam-Controlled Trial

One in four young adults contemplated suicide last year.

Clearly, something needs to change. Could ketamine be the solution?

A study last month found that ketamine was well-tolerated in adolescents aged 13-17 and significantly reduced their depression symptoms.

76% of participants had at least a 50% reduction in depression scores within 3 days of receiving a ketamine infusion, compared to 35% of the placebo group.

The teens had tried between 1 and 7 antidepressants without success prior to the treatment. They all remained on their medications during the trial (SSRIs, non-SSRI antidepressants, mood stabilizers, or lithium) with no serious adverse side effects.

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Predict which psychedelics are right for you

Entheon Biomedical Announces Expanded Psychedelics Genetic Test Panel & New Clinical Research Platform

Ketamine therapy for depression seems promising, but how do you know if it’s right for you?

About 30% of people have a genetic variant that impairs the secretion of BDNF, a protein that promotes the growth of neurons.

Since ketamine works by increasing the release of BDNF, people with this gene variant may have a decreased response to the antidepressant effects of ketamine therapy.

HaluGen just expanded its Psychedelics Genetic Test Kit to test for the gene variant! It also tells you how sensitive you’re to classical psychedelics and if you are at risk for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or psychosis.

Use code “DAILYMUSHROOM” to get 10% off HaluGen’s Psychedelics Genetic Test!

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Psychedelic blocks the rewarding effects of alcohol 🍾

Ibogaine blocks some of the rewarding effects of alcohol in rodent model of addictive behavior

A common model of addiction involves conditioning rats to associate a drug with a certain area. The amount of time the rat spends in that area indicates how addictive the stimuli is.

In a recent study, rats showed a preference to the area associated with ethanol (alcohol) over the placebo area, which was expected since alcohol is addictive. 

After a dose of ibogaine (a psychedelic compound found in the African iboga shrub), they no longer expressed a preference for alcohol.

Additionally, rats showed no preference between an area associated with ibogaine and the placebo area, suggesting that ibogaine is non-addictive.

“We found that ibogaine did not have rewarding effects itself, but it did block the expression of ethanol reward in a model that can commonly be referred to as a pre-clinical model of relapse,” explains the study author, Lais F. Berro.

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