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Due to copyright issues, an electronic copy of the thesis must be ordered from the faculty. For the faculty to have time to process the order, the order must be received by the faculty at the latest 2 days before the public defence. Orders received later than 2 days before the defence will not be processed. After the public defence, please address any inquiries regarding the thesis to the candidate.
Trial Lecture – time and place
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Adjudication committee
- First opponent: Associate Professor Mikael Tiger, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
- Second opponent: Professor Jonathan Repple, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Germany
- Third member and chair of the evaluation committee: Professor Kristin Romvig Øvergaard, University of Oslo
Chair of the Defence
Professor Emeritus Erik Gunnar Jönsson, University of Oslo
Principal Supervisor
Professor Ole A. Andreassen, University of Oslo
Summary
Psychedelic substances such as LSD, psilocybin, ketamine, and MDMA are increasingly being investigated as potential treatments for depression and other mental disorders. This doctoral thesis examines the use of MDMA in combination with psychotherapy for depression and explores the experiences of Norwegian users of psychedelic substances.
This thesis is situated within clinical psychiatry and psychopharmacology and explores the potential role of psychedelic substances—particularly MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT)—in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). The studies were exploratory and hypothesis-generating rather than hypothesis-testing.
The first part of the thesis examines non-clinical use of classic psychedelics in Norway. Data were collected through an anonymous online survey of 770 adults reporting a memorable psychedelic experience. Participants commonly reported psychological insight and perceived improvements in mental health symptoms, particularly depression, although a minority reported persistent adverse effects.
The second part of the thesis investigates MDMA-AT in a clinical context. An open-label study was conducted in 12 participants with moderate to severe MDD, who received two MDMA dosing sessions combined with structured preparatory and integrative psychotherapy. The intervention was feasible and well-tolerated, with no serious adverse events observed. Significant reductions in depressive symptoms and functional impairment were found post-treatment, with 75% of participants meeting criteria for both response and remission.
Follow-up assessments conducted seven months after baseline indicated that treatment effects were sustained in most participants, with no increase in suicidal ideation at the group level.
Overall, the findings suggest that MDMA-AT may represent a promising treatment approach for MDD, while also highlighting the need for further investigation in larger, randomized controlled trials.
Additional information
Contact the research support staff.