PMID- 25990558
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20160622
LR  - 20150923
IS  - 1461-7285 (Electronic)
IS  - 0269-8811 (Linking)
VI  - 29
IP  - 9
DP  - 2015 Sep
TI  - Recreational 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (MDMA) or 'ecstasy' and 
      self-focused compassion: Preliminary steps in the development of a therapeutic 
      psychopharmacology of contemplative practices.
PG  - 961-70
LID - 10.1177/0269881115587143 [doi]
AB  - 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (MDMA) produces diverse pro-social 
      effects. Cognitive training methods rooted in Eastern contemplative practices 
      also produce these effects through the development of a compassionate mindset. 
      Given this similarity, we propose that one potential mechanism of action of MDMA 
      in psychotherapy is through enhancing effects on intrapersonal attitudes (i.e. 
      pro-social attitudes towards the self). We provide a preliminary test of this 
      idea. Recreational MDMA (ecstasy) users were tested on two occasions, having 
      consumed or not consumed ecstasy. Self-critical and self-compassionate responses 
      to self-threatening scenarios were assessed before (T1) and after (T2) ecstasy 
      use (or non-use), and then after compassionate imagery (T3). Moderating roles of 
      dispositional self-criticism and avoidant attachment were examined. Separately, 
      compassionate imagery and ecstasy produced similar sociotropic effects, as well 
      as increases in self-compassion and reductions in self-criticism. Higher 
      attachment-related avoidance was associated with additive effects of 
      compassionate imagery and ecstasy on self-compassion. Findings were in line with 
      MDMA's neuropharmacological profile, its phenomenological effects and its 
      proposed adjunctive use in psychotherapy. However, although conditions were 
      balanced, the experiment was non-blind and MDMA dose/purity was not determined. 
      Controlled studies with pharmaceutically pure MDMA are still needed to test these 
      effects rigorously.
CI  - (c) The Author(s) 2015.
FAU - Kamboj, Sunjeev K
AU  - Kamboj SK
AD  - Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University 
      College London, London, UK sunjeev.kamboj@ucl.ac.uk.
FAU - Kilford, Emma J
AU  - Kilford EJ
AD  - Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University 
      College London, London, UK.
FAU - Minchin, Stephanie
AU  - Minchin S
AD  - Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University 
      College London, London, UK.
FAU - Moss, Abigail
AU  - Moss A
AD  - Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University 
      College London, London, UK.
FAU - Lawn, Will
AU  - Lawn W
AD  - Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University 
      College London, London, UK.
FAU - Das, Ravi K
AU  - Das RK
AD  - Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University 
      College London, London, UK.
FAU - Falconer, Caroline J
AU  - Falconer CJ
AD  - Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University 
      College London, London, UK.
FAU - Gilbert, Paul
AU  - Gilbert P
AD  - Mental Health Research Unit, University of Derby, Derby, UK.
FAU - Curran, H Valerie
AU  - Curran HV
AD  - Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University 
      College London, London, UK.
FAU - Freeman, Tom P
AU  - Freeman TP
AD  - Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University 
      College London, London, UK.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
DEP - 20150518
PL  - United States
TA  - J Psychopharmacol
JT  - Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
JID - 8907828
RN  - 0 (Hallucinogens)
RN  - KE1SEN21RM (N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine)
SB  - IM
MH  - Adult
MH  - Affect/*drug effects
MH  - Empathy/drug effects
MH  - Female
MH  - Hallucinogens/*pharmacology
MH  - Humans
MH  - Male
MH  - N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine/*pharmacology
MH  - Psychopharmacology/methods
MH  - Psychotherapy/methods
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - MDMA
OT  - compassion
OT  - compassion-focused therapy
OT  - psychotherapy
OT  - self-criticism
EDAT- 2015/05/21 06:00
MHDA- 2016/06/23 06:00
CRDT- 2015/05/21 06:00
PHST- 2015/05/21 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2015/05/21 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2016/06/23 06:00 [medline]
AID - 0269881115587143 [pii]
AID - 10.1177/0269881115587143 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - J Psychopharmacol. 2015 Sep;29(9):961-70. doi: 10.1177/0269881115587143. Epub 
      2015 May 18.