Brain Sciences
March 13, 2018
Andrew C. Parrott
13 citations
Many novel psychoactive substances (NPS) have entered the recreational drug scene in recent years, yet the problems they cause are similar to those found with established drugs. This article will debate the psychobiological effects of these newer and more traditional substances. It will show how they disrupt the same core psychobiological functions, so damaging well-being in similar ways. Every...
Behavioural Pharmacology
December 1, 2016
Andrew C. Parrott
19 citations
Most research into 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) has debated its psychobiological effects in relation to neurotransmission. This article debates the contributory roles of the neurohormones oxytocin and cortisol for their psychobiological effects in humans. The empirical literature on these neurohormones is reviewed and suggestions for future research outlined. Acute MDMA or ‘ecstasy’...
Human Psychopharmacology
July 1, 2015
Lynn T. Singer, Derek G. Moore, Meeyoung O. Min et al.
16 citations
This paper aims to review findings from a longitudinal study of prenatal methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “ecstasy”) on infant development.
European Neuropsychopharmacology
March 1, 2014
Andrew C. Parrott, H. Sands, Lewis Jones et al.
35 citations
Previous research has revealed an acute 8-fold increase in salivary cortisol following self-administrated Ecstasy/MDMA in dance clubbers. It is currently not known to what extent repeated usage impacts upon activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis over a more prolonged period of time. This study investigated the integrated cortisol levels in 3-month hair samples from recent...
Psychopharmacology
August 1, 2011
Adrian P. Burgess, Louise Venables, Helena Jones et al.
26 citations
Objectives Ecstasy is a recreational drug whose active ingredient, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), acts predominantly on the serotonergic system. Although MDMA is known to be neurotoxic in animals, the long-term effects of recreational Ecstasy use in humans remain controversial but one commonly reported consequence is mild cognitive impairment particularly affecting verbal episodic...
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...
Advances in Consciousness Research
October 28, 2010
Andrew Parrott
The willingness of humans to take psychoactive drugs may reflect an unconscious optimism bias, where users focus on desired aims rather than actual consequences. A series of in-depth interviews will illustrate the experiences and explicit knowledge of recreational Ecstasy/MDMA users. Next an unpublished empirical study will be described, where four subgroups of Ecstasy users reported that MDMA...
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....