SSRIs, Psilocybin, MDMA, and Disease Modeling: Strategies to Advance PTSD Treatment

SSRIs, psilocybin, and MDMA all modulate serotonin-related neural circuits and are used or proposed as treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite their clinical promise, the molecular, cellular, and neural-circuit mechanisms by which they alleviate PTSD symptoms remain poorly understood. This position paper from Zervas Scientific Consulting reviews the neurobiological roles and intellectual property considerations for these compounds, aiming to integrate multidisciplinary knowledge to advance effective novel treatment options for patients with PTSD.

Study at a glance

Abstract

S elective S erotonin R euptake I nhibitors (SSRIs) and two psychedelics, Psilocybin (4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine), and MDMA (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) act on serotonergic-related neural circuits and function as serotonin modulators. All three molecules are either currently used or proposed as novel therapeutic modalities to treat P ost- T raumatic S tress D isorder (PTSD). While there are important clinical implications for treating PTSD, there are also a number of unanswered questions and still limited understanding of the mechanistic underpinnings of how these therapeutic modalities function at a molecular, cellular, and neural circuit level. Given their utility (e.g. SSRIs) and future consideration (e.g. Psilocybin, MDMA) for alleviating the complex symptoms of PTSD, a better understanding of their neurobiological role as well as their past and future intellectual property considerations are important converging topics. This review is a Position Paper by Zervas Scientific Consulting (ZSC) that places in context valuable and multidisciplinary topics to appropriately develop therapeutics with the ultimate goal of advancing effective novel treatment options for patients that currently live with PTSD.