PTSD, Meet MDMA

Rachel Yehuda, PhD, has been at the forefront of trauma research and treatment for three decades. Her pioneering work with populations including military veterans and Holocaust survivors has illuminated the biology of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite scientific advances, PTSD remains difficult to treat. Even “gold standard” cognitive-behavior approaches are ineffective for too many patients. In this interview, Dr. Yehuda talks about the therapeutic potential of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and describes her journey from skeptic to advocate for more research.Dr. Yehuda is Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, and Director of The Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She is also the Vice Chair for Veterans Affairs in the Department of Psychiatry as well as Director of the Traumatic Stress Studies Division. LinksThe Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research (http://bit.ly/3nOhWgN)Yehuda Lab (http://bit.ly/38BV7Xj)Five Things to Know About MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for PTSD (http://bit.ly/37SoeXh)Mithoefer, M.C., Feduccia, A.A., Jerome, L. et al. MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of PTSD: study design and rationale for phase 3 trials based on pooled analysis of six phase 2 randomized controlled trials. Psychopharmacology 236, 2735–2745 (2019). (https://bit.ly/3rHu5Xk)Visit https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials to see if you're eligible to enroll in a clinical trial with the Mount Sinai Health System.Check out more episodes of Road to Resilience —as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more— on the Mount Sinai website.If this episode inspired you, please consider supporting the Mount Sinai Health System. As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we rely on philanthropy to advance compassionate patient care, groundbreaking research, and medical education. Your generosity helps make conversations like this possible—and fuels the work behind them. To learn more or make a gift, visit give.mountsinai.org.Visit https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials to see if you're eligible to enroll in a clinical trial with the Mount Sinai Health System. Check out more episodes of Road to Resilience—as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more—on the Mount Sinai website.