MDMA as a Probe and Treatment for Social Behaviors
Open accessAbstract
MDMA, better known as the recreational drug "ecstasy," is well known for stimulating a feeling of closeness and empathy in its users. We advocate that exploring its mechanism of action could lead to new treatments for psychiatric conditions characterized by impairments in social behavior.
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MDMA has been proposed as a particularly promising treatment adjunct for disorders characterized by social dysfunction, such as SAD.
“MDMA has been proposed as a particularly promising treatment adjunct for disorders characterized by social dysfunction, such as SAD (22).”
MDMA has been shown across multiple studies to affect the action of brain systems related to social bonding and positive reinforcement related to social encounters.
“MDMA has been shown across multiple studies to affect the action of brain systems related to social bonding and positive reinforcement related to social encounters (22).”
It is unlikely that MDMA itself can ever be used as a daily treatment for sociability deficits because of its abuse potential and potential toxicity.
“Because of its abuse potential and potential toxicity [51,177], it is unlikely that MDMA itself can ever be used as a daily treatment for sociability deficits.”
From Neural circuits regulating prosocial behaviors (2023) · cites this paper as [177]
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References 16 · Cited by 42
- Authors
- Heifets, B. D., & Malenka, R. C.
- Affiliations
- Stanford Medicine (US)
- Corresponding author
- Malenka, Robert C.
- Venue
- Cell
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2016-07
- Volume
- 166
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 269-272
- ISSN
- 0092-8674 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2472912283
- Cited by
- 42
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 4.47
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Cell (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychedelics and Drug Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Keywords
- MDMA, ecstasy, social behavior, social cognition, empathy, mental illness, mechanism of action
- MeSH terms
- Clinical Studies as Topic, Brain, Empathy, Humans, Social Behavior, N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine, History, 20th Century, Drug Liberation
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