MDMA enhances emotional empathy and prosocial behavior

Abstract

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'ecstasy') releases serotonin and norepinephrine. MDMA is reported to produce empathogenic and prosocial feelings. It is unknown whether MDMA in fact alters empathic concern and prosocial behavior. We investigated the acute effects of MDMA using the Multifaceted Empathy Test (MET), dynamic Face Emotion Recognition Task (FERT) and Social Value Orientation (SVO) test. We also assessed effects of MDMA on plasma levels of hormones involved in social behavior using a placebo-controlled, double-blind, random-order, cross-over design in 32 healthy volunteers (16 women). MDMA enhanced explicit and implicit emotional empathy in the MET and increased prosocial behavior in the SVO test in men. MDMA did not alter cognitive empathy in the MET but impaired the identification of negative emotions, including fearful, angry and sad faces, in the FERT, particularly in women. MDMA increased plasma levels of cortisol and prolactin, which are markers of serotonergic and noradrenergic activity, and of oxytocin, which has been associated with prosocial behavior. In summary, MDMA sex-specifically altered the recognition of emotions, emotional empathy and prosociality. These effects likely enhance sociability when MDMA is used recreationally and may be useful when MDMA is administered in conjunction with psychotherapy in patients with social dysfunction or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Effects of methylphenidate and MDMA on appraisal of erotic stimuli and intimate relationships

“…Thus, MDMA mainly seems to enhance pleasure in touching and physical closeness rather than actual sexual engagement and is also reported to impair sexual performance (Frohmader et al, 2010;Passie et al, 2005;Theall et al, 2006;Zemishlany et al, 2001). Neurochemically, MDMA enhances 5-HT and NE and weakly also DA transmission (Hysek et al, 2012b) but additionally, MDMA also releases oxytocin and prolactin (Hysek et al, 2012a;Hysek et al, 2013). Dopamine, NE and oxytocin enhance and 5-HT and prolactin inhibit sexual excitation Pfaus, 2009).…”

“…3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; "ecstasy") is a popular recreational drug used primarily because of its empathogenic properties, i.e. the drug increases feelings of sociability and closeness to others (Hysek et al, 2013;Morgan et al, 2013). Additionally, both drugs also have psychostimulant properties .…”

“…Additionally, sexual performance seems to be consistently impaired by the drug (Buffum and Moser, 1986;Passie et al, 2005;Zemishlany et al, 2001). Thus, MDMA induces well-being and feelings of closeness to others (Hysek et al, 2013) accompanied by a sensual rather than a sexual enhancement (Passie et al, 2005).…”

“…For example, MDMA has been shown to acutely alter related components of social cognition including recognition of facial emotions (Bedi et al, 2010;Hysek et al, 2012a;Hysek et al, 2013;Hysek et al, 2014;Kirkpatrick et al, 2014) and emotional empathy (Hysek et al, 2013;Kuypers et al, 2014;Schmid et al, 2014). Additionally, changes in 5-HT levels may influence cognitions sustaining intimate relationships.…”

“…We therefore evaluated the effect of a 5-HT releaser (MDMA) and a DA and NA reuptake inhibitor (methylphenidate) on cognitive appraisal of intimate relationships. We hypothesized that MDMA, but not methylphenidate, would increase ratings of intimacy and romance in the Couples Appraisal Task (CAT) (Bilderbeck et al, 2011;Bilderbeck et al, 2014) parallel to its 5-HT enhancing, empathogenic and prosocial effects (Hysek et al, 2013;Kirkpatrick et al, 2014).…”