Residual neuropsychological effects of illicit 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in individuals with minimal exposure to other drugs

Halpern, John H.; Pope, Harrison G.; Sherwood, Andrea R.; Barry, Steven; Hudson, James I.; Yurgelun‐Todd, Deborah

doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2004.02.008

Cited by 121 publications

(128 citation statements)

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“…MDMA has acute and longterm effects on 5-HT in several species including several non-human primates (baboons, marmosets, squirrel, rhesus, and cynomologous monkeys), pigeons, rabbits, guinea-pigs, rats, and some mouse strains [58,100,113,130,145]. Recent investigations have begun to determine that humans may exhibit similar alterations in 5-HT and serotonergic mediated function due to repeated ecstasy use [61,66,72,113]. As ecstasy is typically used recreationally with other substances, researchers have begun to determine how MDMA interacts with alcohol [21], caffeine [95], LSD [137], marijuana [107] and methamphetamine [24][25][26] in adults.…”

Section: Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

A developmental comparison of the neurobehavioral effects of ecstasy (MDMA)

Piper

2007

Neurotoxicology and Teratology

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The entactogen ±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or ecstasy) is a popular recreational drug among college, high school, and, occasionally, middle school students. Preclinical research examining the acute and long-term effects of MDMA has predominately been conducted in reproductively mature subjects but there has been increasing interest in adolescent and in utero exposure. This review examines the acute and long-term responses to MDMA during perinatal, adolescent, and adult periods. The ability of MDMA to alter core body temperature emerges gradually during ontogeny while a reduction in body weight is evident at all ages. Learning and workingmemory are also altered independent of the developmental stage of exposure. Current evidence suggests adults are more sensitive to the long-term serotonin depletions following MDMA but younger ages also exhibit substantial and rapid neuroplasticity. Sexually dimorphic MDMA responses have been identified for the acute hyperthermic and motoric effects of MDMA with pubescent males being especially susceptible. Several physiological, behavioral, and neurochemical MDMA issues requiring further study are also outlined. Keywords±3; 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine; Adolescence; Anxiety; Depression; Learning; SerotoninThe phenylethylamine ±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a popular recreational drug best known as ecstasy. MDMA has several other street names including Adam, baby slits, chocolate chips, clarity, doctor, essence, kleenex, and roll [77]. Although ecstasy has some similarities with both stimulants and hallucinogens, MDMA is an entactogen. Entactogen means "touching within" based on the drug's subjective effects [110]. MDMA also causes long term changes in several markers of the integrity of the serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmitter system [58]. There have been several excellent recent reviews on MDMA toxicology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and neurobehavioral consequences [30,37,113,157], but none have systematically addressed the intricate effects of MDMA during development.Ecstasy use is not restricted to limited subpopulations, that is fans of techno music and "raves" [173] or male homosexuals [73,81], as MDMA has expanded into the general population [124,148,170] and especially young people [52,78,170,172]. Over one hundred pregnant women in Toronto called a substance abuse helpline between 1998 and 2000 to inquire Corresponding Author: Brian J. Piper, Neuroscience and Behavior Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003-7710, Tel: (413) 545-0996, bpiper@nsm.umass.edu Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers...

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Section: Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

A developmental comparison of the neurobehavioral effects of ecstasy (MDMA)

Piper

2007

Neurotoxicology and Teratology

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“…However, physiological studies involving limited, infrequent and moderate doses of MDMA (as it is used in the psychotherapeutic setting) demonstrate that the drug has no lasting neuropsychological effects (Halpern et al, 2004) and no evidence of neurotoxicity (Ludewig et al, 2003). So scientific studies describing the dangers of taking ecstasy recreationally refer to doses or patterns of use that are irrelevant to the clinical usage of MDMA for psychotherapy (Grob, 2002).…”

Section: Safety and Risks Of Taking Mdmamentioning

confidence: 99%

MDMA, politics and medical research: Have we thrown the baby out with the bathwater?

Sessa

Nutt

2007

J Psychopharmacol

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“…Some studies using this measure have yielded deficits in ecstasy users compared to controls (Bhattachary & Powell, 2001;Fox et al 2002), whereas others report no such deficits (e.g. Halpern et al, 2004). However, as a written variant of the COWA, the Chicago Word Fluency Test appears to yield more consistent observable deficits in ecstasy users Montgomery et al, 2007).…”

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confidence: 99%