{
  "id": 17060424,
  "title": "Ketamine and MDMA treatments are linked to epigenetic changes in genes tied to brain plasticity",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/ketamine-and-mdma-treatments-are-linked-to-epigenetic-changes-in",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-29T12:00:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "PsyPost",
    "slug": "psypost",
    "url": "https://www.psypost.org/ketamine-and-mdma-treatments-are-linked-to-epigenetic-changes-in-genes-tied-to-brain-plasticity/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A recent study published in Translational Psychiatry has found that ketamine and MDMA treatments are linked to epigenetic changes in genes related to brain plasticity. The research, led by Moira G. Semple of Arizona State University, focused on two groups of participants with depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The ketamine group received six infusions over two to three weeks, while the MDMA group participated in a three-session trial of MDMA-assisted therapy with psychotherapy. Both treatments were associated with changes in DNA methylation, a chemical modification that can influence gene activity, at 405 and 346 genes respectively. These changes primarily occurred in genes involved in neuroplasticity, such as the structure and organization of synapses, immune and stress-response signaling, and dopamine regulation. While the individual gene changes did not correlate directly between the two treatments, both ketamine and MDMA were associated with altered methylation patterns at some of the same genes, particularly EFNA5, which has been linked to PTSD in large genetic studies. The researchers emphasize that these epigenetic changes do not necessarily explain the therapeutic effects of the treatments, as no individual methylation site remained statistically significant or correlated between the two drugs. However, the study highlights that both ketamine and MDMA treatments are associated with molecular changes that could potentially contribute to their effects on brain health.",
  "summary": "People treated with ketamine or MDMA showed changes in chemical tags on genes related to brain plasticity, a small study found. The two drugs converged on similar biological pathways while affecting largely different genes.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}