New Study Approved for MDMA with Schizophrenia
Written by: ERIN WEIST
While hospitals and other medical professionals wait for potential FDA approval of MDMA, the same organization has now approved clinical trials of the same drug in hopes of helping those with the debilitating condition of schizophrenia. A small clinical trial will be conducted by researchers at UCLA with a small sample— only 20 patients. The study will use similar amounts and clinical conditions as those conducted by MAPS regarding treatment of PTSD: slightly incremental doses up to 120 mg, done in a clinical setting and observed for 24 hours to measure severity of symptoms.
MDMA (scientific name: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is not a natural compound, meaning it doesn’t exist in nature that we know of and must be synthesized. It was first created in 1912 by a German pharmaceutical company. Not much is documented of its use until a group of psychiatrists began studying it among themselves in the 70s and 80s in the US. It was declared a Schedule-I drug in 1985, the DEA declaring it had a high potential for abuse and no medical benefits. The first studies about its medical benefits began in 90s, although no data was ever published from those studies. But it has remained a curiosity since that time and there has been renewed interest in this substance in the last decade. The MAPS study of MDMA on patients suffering from PTSD began in 2021 and was completed in less than 2 years. FDA approval is expected to be unhampered, with notice expected around October 2023. (Although in Australia this approval has already been given and MDMA is currently allowed for therapeutic use, although tightly controlled.) This newly approved trial for schizophrenia will begin this year and is expected to be completed in 2026.
Schizophrenia is associated with symptoms of hallucinations and delusions, some of which are currently treated with antipsychotic medications. But it is also connected to symptoms of asociality, which currently have no medical treatment. MDMA is considered a “social” drug, and therefore is hypothesized might have positive effects on certain asocial behaviors. This study hopes to find relief for a condition that renders affected members of society and their loved ones helpless. With current FDA-approval on the horizon and more studies planned, it seems hopeful that the nature of psychedelics, for many years villainized and weaponized, may become a part of healing society in a way that has been denied for several generations.
Sources:
https://nypost.com/2023/04/21/mdma-expected-to-be-approved-to-treat-ptsd-by-october-study/
https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/mdma-ecstasy-abuse/what-is-the-history-of-mdma
https://hubermanlab.com/the-science-of-mdma-and-its-therapeutic-applications/
