The efficacy and safety of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis from randomized controlled trials

•The efficacy and safety of MDMA-AP for treatment PTSD were reviewed in the study.•This is the first study reviewing the efficacy and safety of MDMA-AP for treatment PTSD according to different control groups.•A series of adverse events after MDMA administration were identified in the study. 3,4-met...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychiatry research 2024-09, Vol.339, p.116043, Article 116043
Main Authors: Yang, Jianhua, Wang, Ni, Luo, Wulin, Gao, Junwei
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
Meta-analysis
Posttraumatic Stress disorder
Systematic review
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Summary:•The efficacy and safety of MDMA-AP for treatment PTSD were reviewed in the study.•This is the first study reviewing the efficacy and safety of MDMA-AP for treatment PTSD according to different control groups.•A series of adverse events after MDMA administration were identified in the study. 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy, is one of the most widely used illicit substances worldwide. MDMA-assisted psychotherapy has become a novel treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been performed over the past decade. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically review and demonstrate the efficacy and safety of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of PTSD. We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases up to October 27, 2023, selected RCTs assessing the efficacy and safety of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of PTSD, and evaluated their quality using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Seven RCTs were selected from the retrieved references. The results revealed that MDMA-assisted psychotherapy effectively reduced the change from baseline score in the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale in patients with PTSD compared with either placebo or active controls. However, MDMA causes a series of adverse events, including muscle tightness, nausea, and decreased appetite. To a certain extent, MDMA-assisted psychotherapy may improve symptoms in patients with PTSD. However, side effects and abuse issues still seriously hinder clinical application of MDMA.
ISSN:0165-1781
1872-7123
1872-7123
DOI:10.1016/j.psychres.2024.116043