Effect of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) (Serotonin Release) on Fear Extinction
Status:
Active, not recruiting
Trial end date:
2021-12-24
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Serotonin and oxytocin play a role in fear conditioning and fear extinction learning,
psychological processes that are critically involved in psychiatric disorders such as
posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Specifically, administration of oxytocin has been shown
to facilitate fear extinction in humans. Similarly, substances that release serotonin and
oxytocin such as MDMA have been shown to enhance the extinction of fear memory in animals.
However, there are no data on the effects of MDMA on fear extinction in humans. Therefore,
the primary aim of this study is to investigate the role of acute serotonin release in the
effects of fear extinction. MDMA will be used as pharmacological tool to induce serotonin
release in this study.