Researchers have directly compared the physical and psychological effects of the psychoactive drug MDMA with its chemical cousin MDA in human volunteers for the first time. The results show that MDA produces a longer lasting therapeutic experience with more visual distortions and adverse reactions. These outcomes suggest MDA may be less suited than standard MDMA for therapeutic uses. The study was published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology. MDMA is a widely known synthetic compound that promotes strong feelings of empathy, trust, and interpersonal connection. Because it reliably induces these emotional states, medical professionals are investigating the substance as a medication for psychotherapy in patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. When a person consumes MDMA, their body breaks the molecule down into several secondary chemicals. One of these breakdown products is a molecule called MDA. MDA is psychoactive in its own right and has a history of limited psychiatric exploration. Both substances fall into a broad category of drugs known as entactogens, which roughly translates to touching within. Pharmacologically, both drugs work by releasing signaling chemicals in …