Long-term neuropsychological effects of ecstasy in middle-aged ecstasy/polydrug users

Abstract

Rationale Studies reporting ecstasy-induced serotonintoxicity and (neuro)psychological dysfunctions have been conducted in young adults. Little is known about ecstasy effects later in life, when serotonin levels and cognition decrease as a consequence of normal ageing. Objective This study aimed to assess whether harmful effects of ecstasy only add to or also interact with agerelated neuropsychological decline. Methods Attention, verbal and visual memory, visuospatial ability, self-reported depression, sensation-seeking and impulsivity were assessed in middle-aged moderate to heavy ecstasy/polydrug users (n=17) and compared with none or very mild ecstasy using polydrug users (matched for age, gender, intelligence and other drugs; n=16) and a group of drug-naive controls (n=20). Results Moderate to heavy ecstasy/polydrug users performed significantly worse on a verbal memory task than none or very mild ecstasy using polydrug users and drug naives. Moderate and heavy ecstasy/polydrug users also differed significantly from drug-naives on measures of depression, sensation-seeking and impulsivity but not from none or very mild ecstasy-using polydrug users. Conclusion This study in middle-aged ecstasy/polydrug users replicated findings of studies in younger ecstasy users, showing a harmful effect of ecstasy on verbal memory. There was no clear support for an interaction between harmful effects of ecstasy use and age-related memory decline or mid-life depression.

Residual neurocognitive features of long‐term ecstasy users with minimal exposure to other drugs

“…Our largely negative findings appear inconsistent with many past studies as well as some more recent investigations [55–57] that report lowered cognitive functions in ecstasy users. Indeed, our findings are inconsistent with several findings in our own pilot study [15], possibly because heavy users in the earlier study were tested after briefer median abstinence (59.5 versus 121 days), possibly because of differences in unmeasured confounders or possibly because of chance alone.…”

Event related potential (ERP) evidence for selective impairment of verbal recollection in abstinent recreational methylenedioxymethamphetamine (“Ecstasy”)/polydrug users

“…Research into the effects of Ecstasy has focused on the young and relatively little is known about the effects in middle-aged and older adults. What evidence there is suggests that middle-aged Ecstasy/polydrug users show the same type of deficits on cognitive testing as younger adults (Schilt et al 2010) but the question as to whether the effects of Ecstasy and ageing interact has not yet been adequately addressed.…”

The effects of ‘ecstasy’ (MDMA) on visuospatial memory performance: findings from a systematic review with meta‐analyses

“…Data for meta‐analysis were obtained from 12 of the 22 studies identified in Table as using tasks in this category. With regard to the 10 studies excluded from the meta‐analysis, two had included control participants with minimal ecstasy exposure (Schilt et al ., , ). As minimal exposure to ecstasy has been associated with some effects on cognitive performance (Schilt et al ., ), it was decided that it was safer to omit these two studies from the analysis.…”