The study, led by Dr. Nolan Williams of Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab, enrolled 30 U.S. Special Operations veterans, all supported by VETS through our Foundational Healing Grants program . The results were striking: post-treatment, there was a notable decline in PTSD, anxiety, depression, and an improvement in cognitive function. This groundbreaking research, using ibogaine combined with a cardioprotective agent, showcases a potential new treatment avenue for TBI and associated mental health issues.
Since our founding in 2019, VETS has been a major advocate for veteran mental health, focusing on access to psychedelic-assisted therapies. Our collaboration with Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab represents a significant step in validating the effectiveness of ibogaine therapy for PTSD and TBI. The personal accounts of VETS grant recipients captured in the wide range of media reports further reinforce the transformative impact of ibogaine treatment, echoing VETS’ mission to provide hope and renewed life to those affected by the traumas of service.
This news report examines Stanford Medicine’s one-year follow-up study of Special Operations veterans who received ibogaine treatment, supported in part by VETS, and how the findings add to the growing body of research and federal attention on psychedelic-assisted therapy for veterans.
READ MOREA new Stanford Medicine study published in Translational Psychiatry follows Special Operations veterans for one year after ibogaine treatment, funded by VETS at a vetted, third-party facility, offering the most extensive look to date at the long-term potential of this therapy for PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
READ MOREReports on the mystical-experience paper, noting PTSD symptom reductions in 30 male veterans after magnesium–ibogaine treatment. It presents the findings as preliminary support for larger PTSD trials.
READ MOREReports that magnesium–ibogaine may benefit combat veterans with TBI based on observed resting-state brain-wave changes. The piece focuses on altered cortical oscillations and links those signals to psychiatric and cognitive outcomes.
READ MORECovers the Nature Mental Health paper on magnesium–ibogaine effects on cortical oscillations and neural complexity. It highlights the study as evidence that ibogaine may produce measurable brain-function changes in veterans with TBI.
READ MORESummarizes the Nature Mental Health study for a veteran/clinical audience, emphasizing rapid changes in brain activity after treatment. It includes comments from lead author Jennifer Lissemore about why the team studied ibogaine’s effects on brain function.
READ MOREMentions the newer MRI findings showing increased cortical thickness after magnesium–ibogaine treatment. It places the study in the context of veteran advocacy and the need for more rigorous ibogaine research.
READ MORECovers the Journal of Affective Disorders paper showing that stronger mystical experiences during magnesium–ibogaine were associated with larger symptom reductions. It frames the subjective experience as a possible contributor to therapeutic benefit.
READ MOREIbogaine, derived from a central African shrub, has been used in rituals for two millennia. But in a small study, it appeared to reduce symptoms of PTSD among veterans
READ MOREStanford updated its ibogaine feature to describe the July 24, 2025 Nature Mental Health EEG/MRI analysis. It reports increased theta rhythms linked to executive-function gains and reduced cortical complexity linked to PTSD improvement.
READ MOREMilitary veterans with cognitive and psychological problems saw drastic improvements after a dose of ibogaine.
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