Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in military combat veterans is associated not only with cognitive impairments and reduced daily functioning but also with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety. Because regular treatments for these conditions seem to have limited efficacy, some veterans with TBI have started to explore the psychedelic ibogaine as a potential treatment. A paper published in Nature Medicine now reports the outcome of a trial in 30 veterans with TBI who travelled to Mexico (where the drug is unregulated) and were administered ibogaine along with magnesium (to reduce the risk of cardiac side effects). The ibogaine–magnesium treatment substantially reduced symptoms of PTSD, depression and anxiety and reduced scores on a disability scale compared to baseline measurements, both immediately after treatment and at follow-up 1 month later. No unexpected side-effects or serious adverse events were reported. It is important to note that the study was not a randomized controlled trial, and as such did not include any control groups; undoubtedly, the impressive data from this study will trigger more rigorous trials to assess the efficacy of ibogaine therapy for TBI and psychiatric conditions.
Original reference: Nat. Med., https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02705-w (2024)
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