San Antonio researchers are investigating whether a drug better known as ecstasy can help people recover from post-traumatic stress disorder when combined with established psychotherapy. The work reflects growing interest in psychedelic-assisted treatment, alongside unresolved questions about safety and effectiveness.
Dr. Alan Peterson, chief of the Division of Behavioral Medicine at UT San Antonio and director of the STRONG STAR Consortium, leads a study supported by a $5 million Department of Defense grant. Working with Emory University, researchers plan to enroll 100 active-duty, National Guard and reserve personnel.
The trial will combine a single administration of MDMA with prolonged exposure therapy delivered over two weeks. That therapy helps patients process traumatic memories and confront avoidance. Researchers will compare different MDMA doses to assess whether the drug improves treatment outcomes.
“Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapies have the strongest scientific support for the treatment of PTSD,” Peterson said in the university’s announcement.
MDMA is not a classic psychedelic like psilocybin, the substance found in psychedelic mushrooms, but is often grouped with them. Researchers suspect its effects on emotional openness and fear could help patients engage in therapy. Psilocybin also shows promise for depression, although its PTSD research is less advanced.
A 2023 randomized trial published in Nature Medicine found that 71% of evaluated participants receiving MDMA with therapy no longer met PTSD diagnostic criteria at study’s end, compared with 48% receiving placebo with therapy. That does not establish a permanent cure.
The FDA declined to approve MDMA-assisted treatment in 2024. Concerns included study bias: participants could often tell whether they received the drug, potentially influencing results. MDMA remains unapproved for clinical use.
MDMA can increase blood pressure and heart rate and cause anxiety. Its potential benefits have been demonstrated with supervised psychotherapy — not recreational use.
Guest:
Dr. Alan Peterson is the University of Texas Health Science at San Antonio's chief of the Division of Behavioral Medicine and director of the STRONG STAR Consortium. He is leading the way in PTSD treatment.
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