A case report SPECT study and theoretical rationale for the sequential administration of ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT in the treatment of alcohol use disorder
This case report SPECT imaging study explored the sequential administration of ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT in the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD). It reported that the patient felt improvement in mood, cessation of alcohol use, and decreased cravings at 5 days post-treatment, but the patient returned partially to mild alcohol use at 2 months. Also, higher perfusion in multiple brain regions broadly associated with AUD and known pharmacology of both compounds was reported.
Authors
- Benjamin Kelmendi
- Joseph Barsuglia
- Martin Polanco
Published
Abstract
Ibogaine is a plant-derived alkaloid and dissociative psychedelic that demonstrates anti-addictive properties with several substances of abuse, including alcohol. 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) is a naturally occurring psychedelic known to occasion potent mystical-type experiences and also demonstrates anti-addictive properties. The potential therapeutic effects of both compounds in treating alcohol use disorder require further investigation and there are no published human neuroimaging findings of either treatment to date. We present the case of a 31-year-old male military veteran with moderate alcohol use disorder who sought treatment at an inpatient clinic in Mexico that utilized a sequential protocol with ibogaine hydrochloride (1550 mg, 17.9 mg/kg) on day 1, followed by vaporized 5-MeO-DMT (bufotoxin source 50 mg, estimated 5-MeO-DMT content, 5-7 mg) on day 3. The patient received SPECT neuroimaging that included a resting-state protocol before, and 3 days after completion of the program. During the patient's ibogaine treatment, he experienced dream-like visions that included content pertaining to his alcohol use and resolution of past developmental traumas. He described his treatment with 5-MeO-DMT as a peak transformational and spiritual breakthrough. On post-treatment SPECT neuroimaging, increases in brain perfusion were noted in bilateral caudate nuclei, left putamen, right insula, as well as temporal, occipital, and cerebellar regions compared to the patient's baseline scan. The patient reported improvement in mood, cessation of alcohol use, and reduced cravings at 5 days post-treatment, effects which were sustained at 1 month, with a partial return to mild alcohol use at 2 months. In this case, serial administration of ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT resulted in increased perfusion in multiple brain regions broadly associated with alcohol use disorders and known pharmacology of both compounds, which coincided with a short-term therapeutic outcome. We present theoretical considerations regarding the potential of both psychedelic medicines in treating alcohol use disorders in the context of these isolated findings, and areas for future investigation.
Research Summary of 'A case report SPECT study and theoretical rationale for the sequential administration of ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT in the treatment of alcohol use disorder'
Introduction
Multiple classes of psychedelic compounds have shown preliminary evidence of anti-addictive effects for substances including alcohol, and more effective treatments for alcohol use disorder are needed. Ibogaine, a plant-derived dissociative psychedelic, has been reported in observational studies to interrupt addiction across several substances; 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT), a short-acting serotonergic tryptamine, is reported to occasion intense mystical-type experiences and has epidemiological and preclinical signals for therapeutic effects in addiction and mood disorders. Despite these lines of evidence, there were no published human neuroimaging data for either compound at the time of this report, and the mechanisms by which they might affect addiction-related brain circuits remained speculative. Barsuglia and colleagues set out to document clinical and regional cerebral blood flow changes associated with a sequential treatment protocol of ibogaine followed by vaporised 5-MeO-DMT in a single patient with alcohol use disorder. The report combines a case description, resting-state single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging performed before and after the sequential interventions, and a theoretical rationale for why administering ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT in sequence might produce complementary or synergistic therapeutic effects.
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Study Details
- Study Typeindividual
- Journal
- Compounds
- Topics
- Authors
- APA Citation
Barsuglia, J. P., Polanco, M., Palmer, R., Malcolm, B. J., Kelmendi, B., & Calvey, T. (2018). A case report SPECT study and theoretical rationale for the sequential administration of ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT in the treatment of alcohol use disorder. Progress in Brain Research, 121-158. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.08.002
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