Is ibogaine treatment durable? 12-month follow-up of magnesium–ibogaine therapy (MISTIC) in Special Operations Veterans with traumatic brain injuries
Camarin E. Rolle, Nolan Williams, Afik Faerman, Jennifer I. Lissemore, Andrew Geoly, Kirsten Cherian, Malvika Sridhar, Bora Kim, John P. Coetzee, Lauren Anker, Ahmed Shamma, Nimrod Jackob Keynan, Randi Brown, Angela Phillips, Ashley Jester, Nicholas J. Bassano, Flint M. Espil, Ian H. Kratter
Research Square December 17, 2025 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6909189/v1 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA single dose of magnesium-ibogaine produced large and lasting reductions in disability, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety symptoms over 12 months in male U.S. Special Operations Veterans with a history of traumatic brain injury. Of 30 treated participants, 25 completed the full year of follow-up. Effect sizes at 12 months were very large (Cohen's d ≥ 2.18). The estimated probability of sustained remission at one year was 84% for PTSD, 66% for depression, and 61% for anxiety. These results suggest ibogaine may offer durable clinical benefits for TBI-related psychiatric and functional problems, though randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm the findings.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Prospective long-term follow-up study Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 30 |
| Population | Male U.S. Special Operations Veterans with a history of traumatic brain injury |
| Intervention | magnesium-ibogaine |
| Duration | 12-month follow-up |
| Topics | Anxiety |
| Keywords | Randomized controlled trial Clinical trial Poison control Persistence discontinuity |
| Key finding | A single treatment with magnesium-ibogaine was associated with robust and sustained reductions in disability, PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms through 12 months post-treatment, with large effect sizes and high probabilities of remission. |
Abstract
Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in chronic functional disability and is associated with persistent psychiatric symptoms, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Ibogaine, an oneirogenic alkaloid with unique pharmacological properties, has shown initial promise as a potential treatment for TBI-related sequelae. We previously observed large improvements in functional and psychiatric outcomes up to one month after a single treatment with magnesium-ibogaine in male U.S. Special Operations Veterans with a history of TBI. However, further evidence on the durability of these effects is needed. In this prospective long-term follow-up study, we evaluated the persistence of these clinical improvements over the subsequent year. Participants underwent comprehensive baseline and post-treatment assessments, with follow-up evaluations conducted at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Of 30 participants treated with magnesium-ibogaine, 25 completed the 12-month follow-up assessments. Outcome measures included a self-report measure of functional disability and clinician-administered assessments of psychiatric symptoms. Results demonstrated robust and sustained reductions in disability, PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms through 12 months post-treatment, with large effect sizes (Cohen’s d ≥ 2.18 at 12 months). Survival analyses estimated the probability of sustained remission at 12 months as 84% for PTSD, 66% for depression, and 61% for anxiety. These findings suggest that ibogaine treatment may lead to durable, clinically meaningful improvements in TBI-related symptoms. Further investigation through randomized controlled trials is warranted to validate these promising preliminary results.