PMID- 37935915
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20231127
LR  - 20231127
IS  - 2299-5684 (Electronic)
IS  - 1734-1140 (Print)
IS  - 1734-1140 (Linking)
VI  - 75
IP  - 6
DP  - 2023 Dec
TI  - Can research on entactogens contribute to a deeper understanding of human 
      sexuality?
PG  - 1381-1397
LID - 10.1007/s43440-023-00552-7 [doi]
AB  - In recent years, scientific research into the therapeutic potential of 
      psychedelic compounds has experienced a resurgence of interest. New studies have 
      shown promising results, supporting the use of psychedelic drugs in treating 
      various psychiatric disorders, including treatment-resistant depression, 
      post-traumatic stress disorder, and even alcohol addiction. The FDA has 
      recognized 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) as a breakthrough therapy to 
      treat symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. At the same time, interviews 
      with recreational MDMA users have documented experiences of emotional intimacy 
      while using MDMA, often without the desire for penetrative sex. However, some 
      people have reported that MDMA increases their sexual arousal and specifically 
      use it to enhance their sexual performance. This study aims to analyze current 
      and planned research on the psychophysiological effects of entactogens on human 
      sexuality. With their prosocial potential, the pharmacokinetic and neuroendocrine 
      effects of entactogens may recreate the subjective experience of emotional 
      intimacy, the initiation of intimate relationships, or even feelings of 'falling 
      in love' with previously neutral individuals while under the influence of 
      entactogens. This includes MDMA-induced sexual arousal-like effects observed 
      through subjective behavioral perceptions of desire and arousal and specific 
      physiological markers such as oxytocin and prolactin. Modern MDMA-assisted 
      psychotherapy (MDMA-AP) protocols are transparent and follow strict ethical 
      guidelines. However, despite these proposed ethical principles, little 
      consideration has been given to the potential neurobehavioral effects of 
      entactogens on the sexuality of participants in MDMA-AP protocols. The 
      psychophysiological and sexual effects of entactogens should be discussed more 
      openly in current MDMA-AP protocols, including the potential experience of the 
      phenomenon of sexualized pharmacotransference.
CI  - (c) 2023. The Author(s).
FAU - Holka-Pokorska, Justyna
AU  - Holka-Pokorska J
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0002-3081-9725
AD  - Department of Pharmacology and Physiology of the Central Nervous System, 
      Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Sobieskiego 9, 02-957, Warsaw, Poland. 
      pokorska@ipin.edu.pl.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Review
DEP - 20231108
PL  - Switzerland
TA  - Pharmacol Rep
JT  - Pharmacological reports : PR
JID - 101234999
RN  - KE1SEN21RM (N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine)
RN  - 0 (Hallucinogens)
SB  - IM
MH  - Humans
MH  - *N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine/pharmacology
MH  - *Hallucinogens/pharmacology
MH  - Sexuality
MH  - Emotions
MH  - *Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/drug therapy
PMC - PMC10661745
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine
OT  - Entactogens
OT  - Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy
OT  - Sexuality
COIS- The author declares no conflict of interest in the preparation of this work.
EDAT- 2023/11/08 00:42
MHDA- 2023/11/27 12:42
PMCR- 2023/11/08
CRDT- 2023/11/07 23:44
PHST- 2023/09/08 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2023/10/23 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2023/10/22 00:00 [revised]
PHST- 2023/11/27 12:42 [medline]
PHST- 2023/11/08 00:42 [pubmed]
PHST- 2023/11/07 23:44 [entrez]
PHST- 2023/11/08 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - 10.1007/s43440-023-00552-7 [pii]
AID - 552 [pii]
AID - 10.1007/s43440-023-00552-7 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Pharmacol Rep. 2023 Dec;75(6):1381-1397. doi: 10.1007/s43440-023-00552-7. Epub 
      2023 Nov 8.