Hv Curran

2 papers in the library · 182 citations · publishing 2014-2026

Papers

The Effects of Acutely Administered 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine on Spontaneous Brain Function in Healthy Volunteers Measured with Arterial Spin Labeling and Blood Oxygen Level–Dependent Resting State Functional Connectivity

Biological Psychiatry January 10, 2014 Robin Carhart‐Harris, Kevin Murphy, Robert Leech et al. 182 citations

The medial temporal lobes (MTLs) are specifically involved in how MDMA works in the brain, though more research is needed to understand how the drug's characteristic subjective effects emerge from its modulation of spontaneous brain activity.

DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2013.12.015 MDMA Euphoriant Cerebral blood flow Psychology +8

Protocol for a qualitative mechanistic study of MDMA with a sample of psychoanalytic psychotherapists: A phenomenological investigation

PLoS ONE June 18, 2026 Elisa Liberati, Hv Curran, Peter Fonagy et al.

MDMA-assisted psychotherapy shows promise for treating PTSD, but the psychological mechanisms behind its effects are not well understood. This qualitative study will have approximately 25 experienced psychodynamic psychotherapists receive two doses of MDMA (80-120 mg, oral) in an open-label design. Participants will complete interviews before, during, and after MDMA sessions, plus daily journals. Researchers will use phenomenological and thematic analysis, along with grounded theory, to develop a model of MDMA's psychological mechanisms of action. The study treats therapists as expert observers of their own psychological processes, aiming to generate insights that can inform future treatment models and offer a framework for qualitative mechanistic research on psychedelics.

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0350728 MDMA Grounded theory Interpretative phenomenological analysis Thematic analysis +14