Fibromyalgia is a debilitating chronic pain disorder. Based on prior research with MDMA, it
can be hypothesized MDMA-assisted therapy in fibromyalgia patients may increase the range of
positive emotions, interpersonal trust, and heighten the state of empathic rapport that can
lead to an enhanced patient-clinician interaction and to initiate reattribution processes
targeting dysfunctional thoughts towards pain. Therapeutic alliance, i.e. a positive
patient-clinician relationship, is already acknowledged as an essential component for
MDMA-assisted therapy. Despite its importance, the patient-clinician interaction and the
neuroscience supporting patient/clinician therapeutic alliance has received almost no
attention in MDMA research. The investigators will examine the potential therapeutic benefit
of MDMA-assisted therapy for fibromyalgia. Additionally, this study will also target
secondary objectives including the investigation of the clinical and physiological response
(i.e. brain-to-brain concordance) supporting enhanced patient-clinician therapeutic alliance
in fibromyalgia patients. The study includes two Experimental Sessions of therapy with MDMA
combined with neuroimaging, along integrative therapy, baseline neuroimaging, and a 3 month
follow up.
Phase:
Early Phase 1
Details
Lead Sponsor:
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Collaborator:
Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies