Dissociable Effects of a Single Dose of Ecstasy (MDMA) on Psychomotor Skills                 and Attentional Performance

Lamers, Caroline T. J.; Ramaekers, Johannes G.; Muntjewerff, N.; Sikkema, K.; Samyn, Nele; Read, N L; Brookhuis, Karel; Riedel, Wim J.

doi:10.1177/0269881103174015

Cited by 65 publications

(75 citation statements)

References 35 publications

(41 reference statements)

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“…Eleven tests in the attention domain were evaluated, but none of them had generated any significant effect. In the executive function domain, the literature search yielded only one study by Lamers et al (2003), which reported no effect of MDMA on visual search, planning, or retrieval from semantic memory. Surprisingly, there are no studies about the acute effects of MDMA on memory, although cross-sectional studies into the long-term effects of ecstasy on human cognition most consistently report this domain to be impaired (Verbaten 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Incidental use of ecstasy: no evidence for harmful effects on cognitive brain function in a prospective fMRI study

et al. 2007

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Rationale Heavy ecstasy use in humans has been associated with cognitive impairments and changes in cognitive brain function supposedly due to damage to the serotonin system. There is concern that even a single dose of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine may be neurotoxic, but very little is known about the consequences of a low dose of ecstasy for cognitive brain function. Objectives The objective of the study was to assess the effects of a low dose of ecstasy on human cognitive brain function using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Materials and method We prospectively studied, as part of the NeXT (Netherlands XTC toxicity) study, sustained effects of a low dose of ecstasy on brain function in 25 subjects before and after their first episode of ecstasy use (mean 2.0±1.4 ecstasy pills, on average 11.1±12.9 weeks since last ecstasy use), compared to 24 persistent ecstasy-naive controls, also measured twice and matched with the novice users on age, gender, IQ, and cannabis use. Cognitive brain function was measured in the domains of working memory, selective attention, and associative memory using fMRI.Results No significant effects were found of a low dose of ecstasy on working memory, selective attention, or associative memory neither at the behavioral level nor at the neurophysiological level. Conclusions This study yielded no firm evidence for sustained effects of a low dose of ecstasy on human cognitive brain function. The present findings are relevant for the development of prevention and harm reduction strategies. Furthermore, the study is relevant to the discussion concerning potential therapeutic use of ecstasy.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Incidental use of ecstasy: no evidence for harmful effects on cognitive brain function in a prospective fMRI study

et al. 2007

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“…It is interesting to note that selectivity of MDMA effects have been reported in other psychological domains as well. Lamers et al (2003) demonstrated that a single dose of MDMA produced dissociable effects on psychomotor skills and attention.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acute Effects of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on Behavioral Measures of Impulsivity: Alone and in Combination with Alcohol

Ramaekers

Kuypers

2005

Neuropsychopharmacol

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The use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) has frequently been associated with increased levels of impulsivity during abstinence. The effects of MDMA on measures of impulsivity, however, have not yet been studied during intoxication. The present study was designed to assess the acute effects of MDMA and alcohol, alone and in combination, on behavioral measures of impulsivity and risktaking behavior. A total of 18 recreational users of MDMA entered a double-blind placebo-controlled six-way crossover study. The treatments consisted of MDMA 0, 75, and 100 mg with and without alcohol. Alcohol dosing was designed to achieve a peak blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of about 0.06 g/dl during laboratory testing. Laboratory tests of impulsivity were conducted between 1.5 and 2 h post-MDMA and included a stop-signal task, a go/no-go task, and the Iowa gambling task. MDMA decreased stop reaction time in the stop-signal task indicating increased impulse control. Alcohol increased the proportion of commission errors in the stop-signal task and the go/no-go task. Signal detection analyses of alcohol-induced commission errors indicated that this effect may reflect impairment of perceptual or attentive processing rather than an increase of motor impulsivity per se. Performance in the Iowa gambling task was not affected by MDMA and alcohol, but there was a nonsignificant tendency towards improvement following alcohol intake. None of the behavioral measures of impulsivity showed a MDMA Â alcohol interaction effect. The lack of interaction indicated that the CNS stimulant effects of MDMA were never sufficient to overcome alcohol-induced impairment of impulse control or risk-taking behavior.

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“…Meanwhile, a controlled study has been conducted to evaluate impairment of driving-related attention and psychomotor skills after a single recreational dose of MDMA, the most widely abused designer drug. The achiral analytical data from 4 biological matrices (11 ) as well as the results on cognitive and psychomotor performance tests have been published (13 ). The study also investigated the influence of MDMA on several physiologic and mood indices (14 ).…”

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confidence: 99%

Drug Testing in Blood: Validated Negative-Ion Chemical Ionization Gas Chromatographic–Mass Spectrometric Assay for Enantioselective Measurement of the Designer Drugs MDEA, MDMA, and MDA and Its Application to Samples from a Controlled Study with MDMA

et al. 2005

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Background:The enantiomers of the designer drugs 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), and 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA) differ in their pharmacologic and toxicologic potency. The aim of this study was to develop an assay for measuring these enantiomers in small plasma volumes and to analyze samples from a controlled study with MDMA. Methods: The analytes were extracted from <0.2 mL of plasma by mixed-mode solid-phase extraction. After derivatization with S-(؊)-heptafluorobutyrylprolyl chloride, the resulting diastereomers were separated by gas chromatography (HP-5MS) within 17 min and detected by mass spectrometry in the negative-ion chemical ionization mode. The method was fully validated and applied to samples from a controlled study in which a single dose of racemic MDMA (75 mg) was administered. Results: The derivatized enantiomers were well separated and detected with good sensitivity. The assay was

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Dissociable Effects of a Single Dose of Ecstasy (MDMA) on Psychomotor Skills and Attentional Performance

Cited by 65 publications

References 35 publications

Incidental use of ecstasy: no evidence for harmful effects on cognitive brain function in a prospective fMRI study

Incidental use of ecstasy: no evidence for harmful effects on cognitive brain function in a prospective fMRI study

Acute Effects of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on Behavioral Measures of Impulsivity: Alone and in Combination with Alcohol

Drug Testing in Blood: Validated Negative-Ion Chemical Ionization Gas Chromatographic–Mass Spectrometric Assay for Enantioselective Measurement of the Designer Drugs MDEA, MDMA, and MDA and Its Application to Samples from a Controlled Study with MDMA

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