MDMA-assisted therapy: A new treatment model for social anxiety in autistic adults.
Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry
; 64: 237-49, 2016 Jan 04.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-25818246
ABSTRACT
The first study of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy for the treatment of social anxiety in autistic adults commenced in the spring of 2014. The search for psychotherapeutic options for autistic individuals is imperative considering the lack of effective conventional treatments for mental health diagnoses that are common in this population. Serious Adverse Events (SAEs) involving the administration of MDMA in clinical trials have been rare and non-life threatening. To date, MDMA has been administered to over 1133 individuals for research purposes without the occurrence of unexpected drug-related SAEs that require expedited reporting per FDA regulations. Now that safety parameters for limited use of MDMA in clinical settings have been established, a case can be made to further develop MDMA-assisted therapeutic interventions that could support autistic adults in increasing social adaptability among the typically developing population. As in the case with classic hallucinogens and other psychedelic drugs, MDMA catalyzes shifts toward openness and introspection that do not require ongoing administration to achieve lasting benefits. This infrequent dosing mitigates adverse event frequency and improves the risk/benefit ratio of MDMA, which may provide a significant advantage over medications that require daily dosing. Consequently, clinicians could employ new treatment models for social anxiety or similar types of distress administering MDMA on one to several occasions within the context of a supportive and integrative psychotherapy protocol.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Contexto em Saúde:
8_ODS3_consumo_sustancias_psicoactivas
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Transtornos de Ansiedade
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Psicotrópicos
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Transtorno Autístico
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N-Metil-3,4-Metilenodioxianfetamina
Tipo de estudo:
Clinical_trials
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Guideline
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Observational_studies
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Prognostic_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adult
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Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry
Ano de publicação:
2016
Tipo de documento:
Article