학술논문
Magnesium–ibogaine therapy in veterans with traumatic brain injuries
Document Type
Original Paper
Author
Cherian, Kirsten N.; Keynan, Jackob N.; Anker, Lauren; Faerman, Afik; Brown, Randi E.; Shamma, Ahmed; Keynan, Or; Coetzee, John P.; Batail, Jean-Marie; Phillips, Angela; Bassano, Nicholas J.; Sahlem, Gregory L.; Inzunza, Jose; Millar, Trevor; Dickinson, Jonathan; Rolle, C. E.; Keller, Jennifer; Adamson, Maheen; Kratter, Ian H.; Williams, Nolan R.
Source
Nature Medicine. 30(2):373-381
Subject
Language
English
ISSN
1078-8956
1546-170X
1546-170X
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of disability. Sequelae can include functional impairments and psychiatric syndromes such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety. Special Operations Forces (SOF) veterans (SOVs) may be at an elevated risk for these complications, leading some to seek underexplored treatment alternatives such as the oneirogen ibogaine, a plant-derived compound known to interact with multiple neurotransmitter systems that has been studied primarily as a treatment for substance use disorders. Ibogaine has been associated with instances of fatal cardiac arrhythmia, but coadministration of magnesium may mitigate this concern. In the present study, we report a prospective observational study of the Magnesium–Ibogaine: the Stanford Traumatic Injury to the CNS protocol (MISTIC), provided together with complementary treatment modalities, in 30 male SOVs with predominantly mild TBI. We assessed changes in the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule from baseline to immediately (primary outcome) and 1 month (secondary outcome) after treatment. Additional secondary outcomes included changes in PTSD (Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5), depression (Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale) and anxiety (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale). MISTIC resulted in significant improvements in functioning both immediately (Pcorrected < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 0.74) and 1 month (Pcorrected < 0.001, d = 2.20) after treatment and in PTSD (Pcorrected < 0.001, d = 2.54), depression (Pcorrected < 0.001, d = 2.80) and anxiety (Pcorrected < 0.001, d = 2.13) at 1 month after treatment. There were no unexpected or serious adverse events. Controlled clinical trials to assess safety and efficacy are needed to validate these initial open-label findings. ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT04313712.
Military veterans with traumatic brain injuries who received treatment with the psychoactive compound ibogaine and magnesium experienced improvements in disability, psychiatric symptoms and cognition.
Military veterans with traumatic brain injuries who received treatment with the psychoactive compound ibogaine and magnesium experienced improvements in disability, psychiatric symptoms and cognition.