A new brain imaging study into the effects of MDMA, featured in Channel 4's Drugs Live documentary, suggests the drug may have therapeutic potential for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study, part of the Beckley Foundation/Imperial College Psychopharmacological Research Programme, involved participants including actor Keith Allen and former MP Evan Harris.
Dr Evan Harris, a former MP and medical doctor, said the trial could 'pave the way to further research into potential therapeutic uses of MDMA, such as in the treatment of PTSD'. The research uses fMRI to monitor brain activity, comparing the effects of pure MDMA with a placebo. The drug is administered legally under a Home Office licence, with informed consent and ethical approval.
The MDMA study follows earlier research on psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, which showed that the substance decreases blood flow to brain regions that act as 'connector hubs'. These hubs impose top-down control on awareness, and reducing their activity allows a freer state of consciousness. The findings have implications for treating depression and cluster headaches.
One hub throttled by psilocybin is overactive in depression, and the Medical Research Council has awarded a grant for a study of psilocybin in severely depressed patients. Another hub is overactive in cluster headaches, and anecdotal evidence suggests psilocybin and LSD provide relief, though patients currently obtain these substances illegally.
The Beckley Foundation's director, Amanda Feilding, emphasised that brain imaging research can add invaluable insights. She noted that the MDMA study complements work in the US on MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, which is urgent given that Pentagon statistics show suicides among active troops outnumber combat deaths.
