OPEN Foundation

Articles

Trouw: Ecstasy against PTSD

December 6, 2021 / Articles, Events, MDMA, Publications, Research / By

In anticipation of our conference, which took place last weekend, newspaper Trouw published an article in which Joost Breeksema (president of the OPEN Foundation) is interviewed. Today the newspaper writes about the research into the treatment of PTSD with MDMA that Peter Oehen presented at the conference. 

Trouw: “The study showed that patients, after the treatment with MDMA, experienced less anxiety and were better able to tolerate negative emotions. Moreover, they experienced less emotional and physical pain.”

Our conference in the news: Spits

December 6, 2021 / Articles, Events, Publications / By

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Yesterday we wrote this already, but our conference attracts lots of media attention. Free newspaper de Spits dedicated an article to the fact that, as faithful readers of our website by now know, psychedelics like LSD might be useful in the treatment of certain psychological disorders.

The article (in Dutch) can be read here.

Psychedelic drugs deserve more research

December 6, 2021 / Articles, Publications, Research / By

psyOur conference generates a lot of attention. Psy.nl also devoted an article to it. “For the first time in the Netherlands an international scientific conference about psychedelic drugs is being organized”, writes the website. Indeed, we are writing history. As Psy.nl says, “people won’t be tripping with their therapist yet”, but this conference is another important step in the direction of decent research into psychedelics.

Unfortunately this magazine isn’t published anymore and therefore the article isn’t accessible online.

Nature brings psychedelics to the blogosphere

December 6, 2021 / Articles, Other, Publications, Research / By

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In the context of the recent paper The neurobiology of psychedelic drugs: implications for the treatment of mood disorders scientific journal Nature has approached four well-known neuroscience bloggers to each blog about a different aspect of the medical applications of psychedelic drugs.

Neuroskeptic describes how LSD, Psilocybin and Mescaline affect the serotonergic system and considers a psychedelic treatment for depression.

The Neurocritic wonders whether Ketamine might be able to treat this same disorder.

Vaughan Bell over at Mind Hacks covers the therapeutic potential of DMT.

Moheb Costandi from Neurophilosophy investigates the “secret history of psychedelic psychiatry.” On top of that he wrote an overview discussing all four posts for British newspaper The Guardian.

DEA approves MDMA/PTSD study

December 6, 2021 / Articles, MDMA, Publications, Research / By

More news on the subject of research: on august 27th 2010 the DEA, an American government organisation in charge of the laws regarding ‘controlled substances’ in the US, has approved a study regarding the effects of MDMA on war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome. MAPS can go ahead with the research, which will cost $500,000 and will take the good part of two years. Most of the budget still has to be found, but it’s a step in the right direction!

On the OPEN conference (october 23/24) you can hear more about these kinds of studies. Click here for more information.

First MDMA/PTSD trial finished

December 6, 2021 / Articles, Background articles, MDMA, Publications, Research / By

The first finished clinical trial regarding PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and the treatment of that disorder with MDMA has indicated that MDMA can relieve PTSD symptoms: over 80 percent of the participants no longer met the requirements for PTSD as they are defined in DSM-IV (the most recent ‘handbook’ for mental disorders).

The study focused on two therapy sessions of eight hours with a period of three to five weeks in between. Some of the participants were given MDMA, the others were given a placebo. All participants also took part in weekly ‘normal’ psychotherapy sessions. Ten out of the twelve people that were given MDMA reacted positively on the treatment.

After two months, the people from the control group were given the opportunity to take part in the real treatment, where they would be given MDMA this time. Seven out of eight people from the control group chose to do this, with positive results. It seems as if there has been a breakthrough in researching psychotherapy with the aid of MDMA, making room for new studies – which is good news!

30 April - Q&A with Rick Strassman

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