MDMA-assisted therapy is associated with a reduction in chronic pain among people with post-traumatic stress disorder
IntroductionIncreasing evidence demonstrates 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) may be a safe and effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There is growing interest in MDMA-AT to address a range of other health challenges. Chronic pain and PTSD...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-11-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.939302/full |
| _version_ | 1797991319291822080 |
|---|---|
| author | Devon Christie Berra Yazar-Klosinski Ekaterina Nosova Pam Kryskow Pam Kryskow Will Siu Danielle Lessor Elena Argento Elena Argento |
| author_facet | Devon Christie Berra Yazar-Klosinski Ekaterina Nosova Pam Kryskow Pam Kryskow Will Siu Danielle Lessor Elena Argento Elena Argento |
| author_sort | Devon Christie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionIncreasing evidence demonstrates 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) may be a safe and effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There is growing interest in MDMA-AT to address a range of other health challenges. Chronic pain and PTSD are frequently comorbid, reciprocally interdependent conditions, though the possible role of MDMA-AT in treating chronic pain remains under-investigated. The present analysis examined the impact of manualized MDMA-AT on chronic pain severity among participants with PTSD who were enrolled in a Phase 2 clinical trial investigating MDMA-AT for PTSD (NCT03282123).Materials and methodsExploratory data from a subset of participants who completed chronic pain measures (n = 32) were drawn from a Phase 2 open-label study sponsored by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). Multivariable analysis of variance (ANOVA) was utilized to compare pre- vs. post-treatment Chronic Pain Grade Scale (CPGS) values, adjusting for demographics (age, sex, and ethnicity). K-means clustering was then used to group the sample into three clusters to denote high (n = 9), medium (n = 11), and low (n = 12) baseline pain severity, and the same analysis was repeated for each cluster.ResultsAmong the 32 participants included in this analysis, 59% (n = 19) were women, 72% (n = 23) were white, and median age was 38 years [interquartile range (IQR) = 31–47]. Overall, 84% (n = 27) reported having pain, and 75% (n = 24) reported disability associated with their pain. Significant reductions in CPGS subscales for pain intensity and disability score, and overall CPGS severity grade were observed among participants in the highest pain cluster (n = 9, p < 0.05), and for pain intensity in the medium pain cluster (n = 11, p < 0.05) post- vs. pre-treatment.DiscussionFindings demonstrate a high prevalence of chronic pain in this sample of people with severe PTSD and that chronic pain scores among medium and high pain subgroups were significantly lower following MDMA-AT. While these data are preliminary, when considered alongside the frequency of comorbid chronic pain and PTSD and promising efficacy of MDMA-AT for treating PTSD, these findings encourage further research exploring the role of MDMA-AT for chronic pain. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T08:50:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-efa27b1733894e37a95b6d457369e79b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T08:50:13Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-efa27b1733894e37a95b6d457369e79b2022-12-22T04:33:37ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402022-11-011310.3389/fpsyt.2022.939302939302MDMA-assisted therapy is associated with a reduction in chronic pain among people with post-traumatic stress disorderDevon Christie0Berra Yazar-Klosinski1Ekaterina Nosova2Pam Kryskow3Pam Kryskow4Will Siu5Danielle Lessor6Elena Argento7Elena Argento8Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaMAPS Public Benefit Corporation, San Jose, CA, United StatesBritish Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, CanadaDepartment of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaDepartment of Health Sciences, Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, BC, CanadaMD Inc., Los Angeles, CA, United StatesMemorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, CanadaDepartment of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaBritish Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, CanadaIntroductionIncreasing evidence demonstrates 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) may be a safe and effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There is growing interest in MDMA-AT to address a range of other health challenges. Chronic pain and PTSD are frequently comorbid, reciprocally interdependent conditions, though the possible role of MDMA-AT in treating chronic pain remains under-investigated. The present analysis examined the impact of manualized MDMA-AT on chronic pain severity among participants with PTSD who were enrolled in a Phase 2 clinical trial investigating MDMA-AT for PTSD (NCT03282123).Materials and methodsExploratory data from a subset of participants who completed chronic pain measures (n = 32) were drawn from a Phase 2 open-label study sponsored by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). Multivariable analysis of variance (ANOVA) was utilized to compare pre- vs. post-treatment Chronic Pain Grade Scale (CPGS) values, adjusting for demographics (age, sex, and ethnicity). K-means clustering was then used to group the sample into three clusters to denote high (n = 9), medium (n = 11), and low (n = 12) baseline pain severity, and the same analysis was repeated for each cluster.ResultsAmong the 32 participants included in this analysis, 59% (n = 19) were women, 72% (n = 23) were white, and median age was 38 years [interquartile range (IQR) = 31–47]. Overall, 84% (n = 27) reported having pain, and 75% (n = 24) reported disability associated with their pain. Significant reductions in CPGS subscales for pain intensity and disability score, and overall CPGS severity grade were observed among participants in the highest pain cluster (n = 9, p < 0.05), and for pain intensity in the medium pain cluster (n = 11, p < 0.05) post- vs. pre-treatment.DiscussionFindings demonstrate a high prevalence of chronic pain in this sample of people with severe PTSD and that chronic pain scores among medium and high pain subgroups were significantly lower following MDMA-AT. While these data are preliminary, when considered alongside the frequency of comorbid chronic pain and PTSD and promising efficacy of MDMA-AT for treating PTSD, these findings encourage further research exploring the role of MDMA-AT for chronic pain.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.939302/fullMDMA-assisted therapychronic painMDMApost-traumatic stress disordermental health |
| spellingShingle | Devon Christie Berra Yazar-Klosinski Ekaterina Nosova Pam Kryskow Pam Kryskow Will Siu Danielle Lessor Elena Argento Elena Argento MDMA-assisted therapy is associated with a reduction in chronic pain among people with post-traumatic stress disorder Frontiers in Psychiatry MDMA-assisted therapy chronic pain MDMA post-traumatic stress disorder mental health |
| title | MDMA-assisted therapy is associated with a reduction in chronic pain among people with post-traumatic stress disorder |
| title_full | MDMA-assisted therapy is associated with a reduction in chronic pain among people with post-traumatic stress disorder |
| title_fullStr | MDMA-assisted therapy is associated with a reduction in chronic pain among people with post-traumatic stress disorder |
| title_full_unstemmed | MDMA-assisted therapy is associated with a reduction in chronic pain among people with post-traumatic stress disorder |
| title_short | MDMA-assisted therapy is associated with a reduction in chronic pain among people with post-traumatic stress disorder |
| title_sort | mdma assisted therapy is associated with a reduction in chronic pain among people with post traumatic stress disorder |
| topic | MDMA-assisted therapy chronic pain MDMA post-traumatic stress disorder mental health |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.939302/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT devonchristie mdmaassistedtherapyisassociatedwithareductioninchronicpainamongpeoplewithposttraumaticstressdisorder AT berrayazarklosinski mdmaassistedtherapyisassociatedwithareductioninchronicpainamongpeoplewithposttraumaticstressdisorder AT ekaterinanosova mdmaassistedtherapyisassociatedwithareductioninchronicpainamongpeoplewithposttraumaticstressdisorder AT pamkryskow mdmaassistedtherapyisassociatedwithareductioninchronicpainamongpeoplewithposttraumaticstressdisorder AT pamkryskow mdmaassistedtherapyisassociatedwithareductioninchronicpainamongpeoplewithposttraumaticstressdisorder AT willsiu mdmaassistedtherapyisassociatedwithareductioninchronicpainamongpeoplewithposttraumaticstressdisorder AT daniellelessor mdmaassistedtherapyisassociatedwithareductioninchronicpainamongpeoplewithposttraumaticstressdisorder AT elenaargento mdmaassistedtherapyisassociatedwithareductioninchronicpainamongpeoplewithposttraumaticstressdisorder AT elenaargento mdmaassistedtherapyisassociatedwithareductioninchronicpainamongpeoplewithposttraumaticstressdisorder |