Ecstasy can Help Relieve Post-traumatic Stress: Study

by VR Sreeraman on  July 19, 2010 at 4:09 PM Research News
  •   Print
  •   Share
  •   Comments
  •  Text 
Ecstasy may prove useful to distressed victims of post-traumatic stress in overcoming their demons, research has revealed.

During a test, scientists found dramatic effect on previously untreatable patients who had suffered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for more than 19 years.

Doctors in the United States held two eight-hour psychotherapy sessions three to five weeks apart for the patients, during which they administered the ecstasy chemical MDMA.

Two months later, 80 percent of those treated no longer had symptoms that met the medical definition of PTSD.

Ten of the 12 patients given ecstasy responded to the treatment, said the researchers.

By contrast, only two out of eight patients offered a "dummy" placebo showed an improvement.

Three individuals so badly affected by their condition that they could not hold down a job were able to return to work.

"This pilot study demonstrates that MDMA-assisted psychotherapy with close follow-up monitoring and support can be used with acceptable and short-lived side effects in a carefully screened group of subjects with chronic, treatment-resistant PTSD," Scotsman quoted researchers as saying.

"In this group, MDMA-assisted psychotherapy produced clinically and statistically significant improvements in PTSD symptoms," they added.

The scientists have now got a go-ahead from the US regulatory body, the Food and Drug Administration, to carry out a bigger study on ex-soldiers traumatized by their experiences in Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam.

The findings were published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.

Source-ANI

 Email Email   RSS Feeds RSS Feeds   Print this page Print   Save this page Save   Link Link   Syndicate Syndicate   Comments Comments   Bookmark and Share
 
More News on: Drug Detox
Comment & Contribute
Comments should be on the topic and should not be abusive. Comments are normally moderated and are reviewed after they are posted.
* Your comment can be maximum of 2500 characters

Notify me when reply is posted
I agree to the terms and conditions
  
If you have a question about health related issues, you can now post it in our Ask An Expert section on our community website Medwonders.com and get answers from our panel of experts.
X

Medwonders Health Network

  • Health News Index
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
News Archive
Date :
Category :
Keyword :
  • News Quick Links
News Central Health Watch
Latest Health News Health In Focus
News Category (500+) Breaking Health News
Popular News Celebrating Life
Health News and Press Release Medindia - Exclusive
News Photo Gallery India Special
News Video Gallery Lifestyle and Wellness
News From Other Resources
News Categories:  
Sexual Health Center

Research Related News

» Lack of Vitamin D in Diet Raises Stroke Risk in Japanese-Americans » Why Bovine TB Continues to Spread Demystified in New Research
» Seaweed Pill May Help Treat Arthritis » P. Aeruginosa Infection Leads to Worse Outcomes and Increased Hospitalizations in COPD Patients
» Hormone Boosts Production of Molecules Which Fight Skin Infection » Protein Discovery Could Lead To New Vaccine for Meningitis
» Qui Vive: Intense Nuclear Radiation Threat, Scientists » 'Miracle' Diet of Reverse Engineering Epilepsy
Read More >>