Peer Viewd Studies Have Already Indicated that MDMA Helps Psychological Problems ~ So Why Aren't More Studies Done?

 It seems wise to blog some of my research from college.  I wish i had saved more papers because i was unique among my closed up classmates.  This blog features two studies on MDMA assisted psychotherapy and the safety of it.

 

Since I have seen many articles concerning the use of MDMA to treat depression and PTSD I chose the topic neurobiology of ecstasy (MDMA) abuse (Brice, 2012).  The study “Memory function and serotonin transporter promoter gene polymorphism in ecstasy (MDMA) users” is an experiment because the researcher manipulated a variable by testing subjects after they were given MDMA (Garrett, 2015).  It seems that the hypothesis was refuted because although heavy and x use of MDMA impaired memory moderate use had no ill effect (Win, et.al., 2006).  The research questions were ethically answered because informed consent was granted.
 

The study “Effect of ecstasy [3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)] on cerebral blood flow: a co-registered SPECT and MRI study” was an experimental study with the variables of subjects given high and low doses of MDMA (Chang, et.al, 2000).  The hypothesis was that possible subacute and chronic effects on the brain would occur from MDMA usage that would appear in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) (Chang, et.al., 2000).  The study had to accept the null hypothesis because “low-dose recreational MDMA use does not cause detectable persistent rCBF changes in humans” and the preliminary data suggests that the adverse effects of MDMA are transient or short-termed (Chang, et.al., 2000, para.1).  This research was ethical because subjects were carefully screened before the tests were performed (Chang, et.al., 2000).
 

Since the former study is more than 10-years-old I found one more study on MDMA. The study “MDMA-assisted psychotherapy using low doses in a small sample of women with chronic posttraumatic stress” is an experiment because the variable of low doses of MDMA were administered to subjects (Bouso, et.al., 2008).  Unfortunately, this study was called off due to “political pressure” (Bouso, et.al., 2008).   The study found that “found that low doses of MDMA (between 50 and 75 mg) were both psychologically and physiologically safe for all the subjects” which means the null hypothesis was rejected (Bouso, et.al., 2008. Para.1).   The synonyms for ethical are upright, moral, virtuous, honest, and righteous while the antonym is immoral (Dictionary.com, 2016).  Considering that "contrary to popular mythology, prescription drugs are more lethal than illegal or street drugs. Prescription drug abuse and addiction kill far more people in the U.S. every year than all illegal drugs combined" it was unethical to call this ethical experiment off (Bonn, 2014, para.4).

 

References
 

Bonn, Scott A. Ph.D. (28 Apr, 2014). Prescription Drugs Are More Deadly Than
Street Drugs: Many unethical doctors enable their drug-addicted patients.
Psychology Today. Retrieved from
https://www.psychologytoday.com/.../prescription-drugs..
 

Bouso, J. C., B.Sc, Doblin, R., PhD., Farré, Magí, MD, PhD, Alcázar, M. Á., PhD,
& Gómez-Jarabo, G., PhD. (2008). MDMA-assisted psychotherapy using low
doses in a small sample of women with chronic posttraumatic stress
disorderdagger]. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 40(3), 225-36. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com.library.capella.edu/.../207973
 

Brice, Makini. (17 Sept, 2012). Could MDMA Be the Cure for PTSD and
Depression? Medical Daily. Retrieved from
http://www.medicaldaily.com/could-mdma-be-cure-ptsd-and..
 

Chang, Linda; Grob, Charles S; Ernst, Thomas; Itti, Laurent; Mishkin, Fred S; Jose-Melchor, Rosemarie; and Poland, Russell E. (28 February 2000). Effect of ecstasy [3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)] on cerebral blood flow: a co-registered SPECT and MRI study. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging: Volume 98, Issue 1. Pages 15–28.
doi:10.1016/S0925-4927(99)00048-7. Retrieved from
http://www.sciencedirect.com.library.capella.edu/…/S0925492…
 

Dictionary.com. (2016). ethical. Dictionary.com. Retrieved from
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/ethically
 

Garrett, B. (2015). Brain & behavior: An introduction to biological psychology (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Win, de, M.M; Brink, van den, W; Schmand, B; Reneman, L; Bakker, O; Booij, J;and Schilt, T. (2006). Memory function and serotonin transporter promoter gene polymorphism in ecstasy (MDMA) users. Journal of Psychopharmacology, Volume 20, Issue 3. pp. 389-399. doi:
10.1177/0269881106063266 Retrieved from
http://jop.sagepub.com.library.capella.edu/content/20/3/389
[http://jop.sagepub.com.library.capella.edu/.../389&h...]