A Systematic Review of the MDMA Model to Address Social Impairment in Autism
This systematic review finds that postnatal MDMA administration produces prosocial behaviours and may alleviate social impairments in autism models, with the strongest evidence coming from animal studies. Clinical trials are now under way, but larger and longer studies are needed to confirm whether MDMA or MDMA-like compounds can treat social deficits in ASD.
Authors
- Chaliha, D.
- Mamo, J. C.
- Albrecht, M.
Published
Abstract
Background
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by repetitive behaviours, cognitive rigidity/inflexibility, and social-affective impairment. Unfortunately, no gold-standard treatments exist to alleviate the core socio-behavioural impairments of ASD. Meanwhile, the prosocial empathogen/entactogen 3,4- methylene-dioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) is known to enhance sociability and empathy in both humans and animal models of psychological disorders.
Objective
We review the evidence obtained from behavioural tests across the current literature, showing how MDMA can induce prosocial effects in animals and humans, where controlled experiments were able to be performed.
Methods
Six electronic databases were consulted. The search strategy was tailored to each database. Only Englishlanguage papers were reviewed. Behaviours not screened in this review may have affected the core ASD behaviours studied. Molecular analogues of MDMA have not been investigated.
Results
We find that the social impairments may potentially be alleviated by postnatal administration of MDMA producing prosocial behaviours in mostly the animal model.
Conclusion
MDMA and/or MDMA-like molecules appear to be an effective pharmacological treatment for the social impairments of autism, at least in animal models. Notably, clinical trials based on MDMA use are now in progress. Nevertheless, larger and more extended clinical studies are warranted to prove the assumption that MDMA and MDMA-like molecules have a role in the management of the social impairments of autism.
Research Summary of 'A Systematic Review of the MDMA Model to Address Social Impairment in Autism'
Introduction
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is described as an early-onset neurodevelopmental condition marked by impairments in social reciprocity, repetitive motor behaviours and cognitive rigidity. The authors note that no pharmacological treatments are approved for ASD core symptoms, and that existing medications address only accessory problems such as irritability. Given the substantial personal and societal burden of ASD, there is strong interest in exploring new therapeutics that might target core social-affective deficits. This paper conducts a systematic review of the behavioural literature on 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) with an emphasis on effects relevant to ASD-like social impairment. MDMA is known to increase sociability and emotional empathy in humans and to produce prosocial behaviours in animal models; the review therefore aims to summarise controlled studies in rodents, other animals and humans that assessed social behaviour, repetitive/stereotyped behaviour and cognitive rigidity after postnatal MDMA administration. The stated rationale is to evaluate whether MDMA or MDMA-like approaches warrant further clinical testing to treat social impairments in ASD.
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Study Details
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- APA Citation
Chaliha, D., Mamo, J. C., Albrecht, M., Lam, V., Takechi, R., & Vaccarezza, M. (2021). A Systematic Review of the MDMA Model to Address Social Impairment in Autism. Current Neuropharmacology, 19(7), 1101-1154. https://doi.org/10.2174/1570159x19666210101130258
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