Translational Psychiatry
May 21, 2026
Francesco Bavato, Andrea E. Steuer, Anna M. Jacobsen et al.
Methamphetamine (METH, "Crystal Meth") and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "Ecstasy") are two types of substituted amphetamines that share structural-chemical similarities but exhibit contrasting acute and chronic effects including addictive liability. Tryptophan (TRY) pathways are involved in pleiotropic physiological functions at the interface of brain-body connections. Preclinical...
Brain
October 19, 2025
Rebecca C Coray, Vincent Beliveau, Josua Zimmermann et al.
1 citation
Regular recreational use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "Ecstasy") has been consistently linked to verbal memory dysfunctions, whose neurobiological origins remain unclear. Although neurochemical, structural, and functional alterations resulting from repeated MDMA intake have been identified in user populations, only limited knowledge exists regarding potential interrelationships...
European Neuropsychopharmacology
June 1, 2024
Amelie Zacher, Josua Zimmermann, David M. Cole et al.
10 citations
Methamphetamine (METH, "Crystal Meth") and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "Ecstasy") share structural-chemical similarities but have distinct psychotropic profiles due to specific neurochemical actions. Previous research has suggested that their impact on social cognitive functions and social behaviour may differ significantly, however, direct comparisons of METH and MDMA users...
NeuroImage: Clinical
2024
Antje Opitz, Josua Zimmermann, David M. Cole et al.
2 citations
In stimulant use and addiction, conflict control processes are crucial for regulating substance use and sustaining abstinence, which can be particularly challenging in social-affective situations. Users of methamphetamine (METH, "Ice") and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "Ecstasy") both experience impulse control deficits, but display different social-affective and addictive profiles....
Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging
September 2023
Rebecca C Coray, Jatta Berberat, Josua Zimmermann et al.
The common club drug MDMA (also known as ecstasy) enhances mood, sensory perception, energy, sociability, and euphoria. While MDMA has been shown to produce neurotoxicity in animal models, research on its potential neurotoxic effects in humans is inconclusive and has focused primarily on the serotonin system. We investigated 34 regular, largely pure MDMA users for signs of premature...
Human Brain Mapping
August 2, 2023
Rebecca C Coray, Josua Zimmermann, Amelie Haugg et al.
5 citations
The chronic intake of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") bears a strong risk for sustained declarative memory impairments. Although such memory deficits have been repeatedly reported, their neurofunctional origin remains elusive. Therefore, we here investigate the neuronal basis of altered declarative memory in recurrent MDMA users at the level of brain connectivity. We...
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
June 1, 2023
Josua Zimmermann, Niklaus Zölch, Rebecca C Coray et al.
Background: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a widely used recreational substance inducing acute release of serotonin. Previous studies in chronic MDMA users demonstrated selective adaptations in the serotonin system, which were assumed to be associated with cognitive deficits. However, serotonin functions are strongly entangled with glutamate as well as γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)...
NeuroImage: Clinical
September 19, 2022
Josua Zimmermann, Nicole Friedli, Francesco Bavato et al.
14 citations
3,4–Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “Ecstasy”) is a serotonin- and noradrenaline-releasing substance, currently among the most widely used illicit substances worldwide. In animal studies, repeated exposure to MDMA has been associated with dendritic but also axonal degeneration in the brain. However, translation of the axonal findings, specifically, to humans has been repeatedly questioned...