Behavioural Pharmacology
July 11, 2014
A. C. Parrott, Catharine Montgomery, Mark Wetherell et al.
34 citations
Stress develops when an organism requires additional metabolic resources to cope with demanding situations. This review will debate how recreational 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'ecstasy') can increase some aspects of acute and chronic stress in humans. Laboratory studies on the acute effects of MDMA on cortisol release and neurohormone levels in drug-free regular ecstasy/MDMA users...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
2014
A. C. Parrott
60 citations
MDMA has properties that may make it attractive for psychotherapy, although many of its effects are potentially problematic. These contrasting effects will be critically reviewed in order to assess whether MDMA could be safe for clinical usage. Early studies from the 1980s noted that MDMA was an entactogen, engendering feelings of love and warmth. However, negative experiences can also occur...
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental
July 1, 2013
A. C. Parrott
184 citations
AIMS: This paper aimed to review how scientific knowledge about the human psychobiology of MDMA has developed over time. METHODS: In this paper, the empirical findings from earlier and later studies will be reviewed. RESULTS: When MDMA was a 'novel psychoactive substance', it was not seen as a drug of abuse, as it displayed loss of efficacy. However, recreational users display a unique pattern...
Pediatrics
August 21, 2012
Lynn T. Singer, David G. Moore, Meeyoung O. Min et al.
49 citations
OBJECTIVE: A widely used illicit recreational drug among young adults, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or ecstasy, is an indirect monoaminergic agonist/reuptake inhibitor affecting the serotonin system. Preclinical studies found prenatal exposure related to long-term learning and memory impairments. There are no studies of sequelae of prenatal MDMA exposure in humans, despite potential...
British Journal of Pharmacology
March 9, 2012
A. C. Parrott
50 citations
In this issue of the BJP , Green et al . suggest that animal data could not be used to predict the adverse effects of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in humans and that MDMA did not produce 5‐HT neurotoxicity in the human brain. This proposal was, however, not accompanied by a review of the empirical evidence in humans. The neuroimaging data on 5‐HT markers in abstinent recreational...
Neurotoxicology and Teratology
March 5, 2012
Lynn T. Singer, David G. Moore, Sarah Fulton et al.
77 citations
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or "Ecstasy" is one of the most widely used illicit recreational drugs among young adults. MDMA is an indirect monoaminergic agonist and reuptake inhibitor that primarily affects the serotonin system. Preclinical studies in animals have found prenatal exposure related to neonatal tremors and long-term learning and memory impairments. To date, there are...
Addiction
June 3, 2011
A. C. Parrott
12 citations
Halpern et al. 1 presented some interesting findings from a study of abstinent ecstasy users in Salt Lake City, USA. Their ecstasy group reported comparatively slight use of all psychoactive drugs, both legal and illicit, and were therefore different from the typical user who often takes a range of other drugs. Their control group comprised similar-aged occasional rave attendees, who had never...
Neuropsychobiology
October 20, 2010
Andrew Scholey, Lauren Owen, J. R. Gates et al.
46 citations
<i>Aims:</i> Our group has conducted several Internet investigations into the biobehavioural effects of self-reported recreational use of MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine or Ecstasy) and other psychosocial drugs. Here we report a new study examining the relationship between self-reported Ecstasy use and traces of MDMA found in hair samples. <i>Methods:</i> In a laboratory setting, 49...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
December 1, 2009
Katy A. Jones, M. Blagrove, A. C. Parrott
41 citations
This study investigated the associations between chronic cannabis and Ecstasy/MDMA use and one objective and two subjective measure of creativity. Fifteen abstinent Ecstasy users, 15 abstinent cannabis users, and 15 nondrug-user controls, completed three measures of creativity: the Consequences behavioral test of creativity, self-assessed performance on the Consequences test, and Gough's Trait...
Neuropsychobiology
2008
A. C. Parrott, Jing Zhan Lock, A.c. Conner et al.
77 citations
<i>Background/Aims:</i> The present study is the first to prospectively compare a group of recreational Ecstasy users when dance clubbing on 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and when clubbing during abstinence from Ecstasy/MDMA. <i>Methods:</i> Twelve normal healthy volunteers (mean age = 23.2 years) were assessed at a Saturday night dance club under self-administered MDMA. On the other...
Journal of Psychopharmacology
March 30, 2006
Kirstie Soar, John Turner, A. C. Parrott
65 citations
Recreational ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine; MDMA) use has been increasingly associated with a number of psychiatric symptoms and psychological problems. However, previous studies assessing possible psychopathological effects have not identified whether users consider their ecstasy use ‘problematic’ or not. In addition, research has generally failed to address the potential role of...
Journal of Psychopharmacology
2005
A. C. Parrott
241 citations
This review of chronic tolerance to MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymetamphetamine) covers the empirical data on dosage escalation, reduced subjective efficacy and bingeing in recreational Ecstasy users. Novice users generally take a single Ecstasy tablet, regular users typically take 2-3 tablets, whereas the most experienced users may take 10-25 tablets in a single session. Reduced subjective efficacy...
Neuropsychobiology
2004
A. C. Parrott
152 citations
MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) or ‘ecstasy’ is a ring-substituted amphetamine derivative, which is widely used as a recreational drug, most particularly at dances and raves. Around 80–95% of dancers/ravers report using ecstasy/MDMA, compared to 5–15% of young people in general. This paper will consider the possible contribution of stimulatory environmental conditions to the...
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental
July 12, 2002
A. C. Parrott, Tom Buchanan, Andrew Scholey et al.
163 citations
Abstract Rationale The recreational use of MDMA/Ecstasy (3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is associated with many psychobiological problems, but there is a paucity of data on how these relate to the level of past use. Objectives: to assess the incidence of Ecstasy‐attributed problems as reported by novice, moderate and heavy users. Methods: 763 unpaid volunteers took part in a WWW study of...
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental
December 1, 2001
A. C. Parrott
349 citations
Abstract MDMA (3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine) or ‘Ecstasy’ was scheduled as an illegal drug in 1986, but since then its recreational use has increased dramatically. This review covers 15 years of research into patterns of use, its acute psychological and physiological effects, and the long‐term consequences of repeated use. MDMA is an indirect monoaminergic agonist, stimulating the release...
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental
December 1, 2001
Kirstie Soar, John Turner, A. C. Parrott
80 citations
Abstract 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or Ecstasy) has been implicated in the onset of a number of psychological disorders and associated with a number of psychiatric symptoms that have persisted after cessation of the drug. This paper is a review of the published psychiatric case studies from the last 10 years involving MDMA. Only 24% of patients had a previous psychiatric history...
Neuropsychobiology
2000
A. C. Parrott
153 citations
Laboratory animals can develop serotonergic neurotoxicity after repeated doses of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or ‘Ecstasy’. If similar neural damage occurs in humans, this may be evident in cognitive or behavioural impairments. In a review of the behavioural skills shown by drug-free recreational Ecstasy users, three aspects of cognitive performance are often affected: reduced...
Neuropsychobiology
2000
John Turner, A. C. Parrott
27 citations
UNLABELLED: Every discussant at the Novartis symposium was invited to submit a 250-word abstract, giving their views upon the question: 'Is MDMA a human neurotoxin?'. These abstracts are presented here. They illustrate a wide range of viewpoints and opinions, as might be expected from experts in such diverse fields: animal neuroscience, human cognitive testing, police pathology laboratory,...
Journal of Psychopharmacology
1998
A. C. Parrott, A. J. Lees, N. J. Garnham et al.
226 citations
Cognitive task performance was assessed in three groups of young people: 10 regular users of 3,4- methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) who had taken 'ecstasy' 10 times or more; 10 novice MDMA users who had taken 'ecstasy' one to nine times; and 10 control subjects who had never taken MDMA. A computerized battery of cognitive tasks (Cognitive Drug Research system) was undertaken on a day when...
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental
September 1, 1997
A. C. Parrott, Marta Stuart
24 citations
Twenty-one recreational polydrug users (age range: 17–34 years), were recruited into the study using the 'snowball' technique (Solowij et al., 1992). All had used MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or 'Ecstasy'), LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), and amphetamine, on different occasions. They completed modified Profile of Mood States Questionnaires, to indicate their typical feeling states...
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental
May 1, 1997
D. Davison, A. C. Parrott
136 citations
Twenty recreational drug users were asked to describe the psychological and physiological effects they experienced under MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine). The subjects comprised 11 males and nine females, in the age range 18–31 years. Five subjects had taken MDMA once, nine had taken it 2–9 times, while six subjects had taken it +10 times. Each subject completed a modified Profile of...