MDMA heads to Phase 3 trials for helping PTSD

A new study shows success in a series of Phase 2 trials.

Photo credit: Jasper Graetsch on Unsplash
  • A new study in Psychopharmacology shows MDMA has a 50 percent efficacy rate for PTSD victims.
  • A series of six controlled, double-blind studies moves research to Phase 3 trials.
  • Combined with psychotherapy, MDMA could be a potent force in treating one of the our most challenging problems.
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Surprising Science

Afghanistan is the most depressed country on Earth

No, depression is not just a type of "affluenza" — poor people in conflict zones are more likely candidates

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  • Often seen as typical of rich societies, depression is actually more prevalent in poor, conflict-ridden countries
  • More than one in five Afghans is clinically depressed – a sad world record
  • But are North Koreans really the world's 'fourth least depressed' people?
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Strange Maps

Getting mental health care makes the body healthier — especially for the elderly

Taking care of our minds is an often neglected aspect of aging. What are we going to do about it?

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  • Studies have shown that depression can worsen in our old age.
  • Other mental health concerns, too, are not only debilitating on their own but they can often make it more difficult to treat other health conditions.
  • However, recent advances in how we treat mental health in the elderly are making a big difference. Here's how.
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How ‘extinction neurons’ help us block out our worst memories

A recent study could help improve treatments for PTSD, anxiety and phobias.

Image: Stefan Keller via Pixabay
  • A new study examined how the effects of fear-related memories can be silenced in the brain.
  • Forming new and positive "extinction memories" can help to silence fearful memories.
  • The study found that the hippocampus plays a significant role in "extinction training."
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Surprising Science

This Twitter algorithm predicts mental illness better than trained professionals

A supervised learning algorithm can predict clinical depression much earlier and more accurately than trained health professionals.

Aaron Gillies, a.k.a @TechnicallyRon, uses his sense of humor to open up frank discussion about depression.
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