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...
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental
March 1, 2012
Mark Wetherell, Katie Atherton, Jessica Grainger et al.
25 citations
Background Cannabis and 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) use is associated with psychobiological and neurocognitive deficits. Assessments of the latter typically include tests of memory and everyday cognitive functioning. However, to date, little attention has been paid to effects of drug use on psychological stress reactivity. We report three studies examining the effects of...
Psychopharmacology
June 2011
Andrew C Parrott, Amy Gibbs, Andrew B Scholey et al.
This study investigated the acute mood effects of oral MDMA, methamphetamine, and placebo in a double-blind laboratory study. Fifty-two healthy participants comprised abstinent recreational users of stimulant drugs, 27 female and 25 male, mean age 24.8 years. Three test sessions involved acute 100 mg oral 3.4-methylendioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), 0.42 mg/kg oral methamphetamine, and matching...
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 Psychopharmacology
March 30, 2006
Jonathon L. Reay, Colin Hamilton, David O. Kennedy et al.
91 citations
In recent years working memory de.cits have been reported in users of MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, ecstasy). The current study aimed to assess the impact of MDMA use on three separate central executive processes (set shifting, inhibition and memory updating) and also on ëprefrontalí mediated social and emotional judgement processes. Fifteen polydrug ecstasy users and 15 polydrug...
Addictive behaviors
June 2004
Andrew B Scholey, Andrew C Parrott, Tom Buchanan et al.
Recreational Ecstasy/MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) users often take a variety of psychoactive drugs, but there is little empirical data on how these drug consumption patterns change with greater experience of Ecstasy. The aim of this study was to compare the polydrug usage patterns reported by non-Ecstasy users, novice Ecstasy users, moderate Ecstasy users, and heavy Ecstasy users....
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
May 9, 2001
Thomas Heffernan, Jonathan Ling, Andrew Scholey
57 citations
Abstract Chronic use of MDMA (3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine), or ‘ecstasy’, is associated with significant cognitive impairments, particularly in laboratory and field tests of memory for previously encoded material. Less is known about the effects of a history of MDMA use on aspects of everyday cognitive functioning–of which prospective memory (typically characterised as ‘remembering to do...