In this podcast, Rachel Yehuda, PhD, discusses the evolution of MDMA or “ecstasy” from its discovery to initial uses in psychotherapy to recreational drug to “breakthrough therapy”—as currently designated by the Food and Drug Administration. She describes how therapy sessions are structured in the current clinical trials. Dr. Yehuda explains the difference between psychedelic drugs and MDMA, an entactogen, which creates empathy, introspection, and interpersonal trust. She discusses the quantitative improvements achieved by patients who have post-traumatic stress disorder and provides insights as to the impact MDMA may have on the future of psychotherapy.
Mount Sinai Health System Launches Center for Psychedelic Research
The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has launched a new center for psychedelics research. The Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research pursues a multipronged clinical and research approach to discovering novel and more efficacious therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and other stress-related conditions in veterans and the civilian population. The Center will focus on studying MDMA, psilocybin, and other psychedelic compounds.