On December 3, 2013, the Copernicus Institutional Review Board approved the protocol for our new sub-study of the mechanisms of action of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, which will enroll subjects from our ongoing study in 24 U.S. veterans, fire fighters, and police officers. In this exploratory sub-study, we will use heart rate variability (HRV) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure the physiological effects of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy and explore correlations between those effects and clinical outcomes. Our goals for this study are to contribute to the evidence base for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, add to existing knowledge about the physiological correlates of PTSD, identify therapeutic processes within our treatment method, and gather preliminary data for a grant application to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The sub-study will be conducted in collaboration with researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), Smith College, and the New School for Social Research. Help complete this study on Indiegogo…
