Illicit Stimulant Use in Humans Is Associated with a Long-Term Increase in Tremor
Stanley C. Flavel, Jenna D. Koch, Jason M. White, Gabrielle Todd
PLoS One December 18, 2012 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052025 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 51 |
| Population | Abstinent ecstasy users, abstinent users of amphetamine-like drugs, cannabis users, and non-drug users |
| Topics | Cannabis MDMA |
| Keywords | Stimulant Methamphetamine Effects of cannabis Hallucinogen |
| Citations | 30 |
| Key findings | Abstinent ecstasy users exhibit abnormally large tremor during movement compared to non-drug users. |
Abstract
Use of illicit stimulants such as methamphetamine, cocaine, and ecstasy is a significant health problem. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that 14-57 million people use stimulants each year. Chronic use of illicit stimulants can cause neurotoxicity in animals and humans but the long-term functional consequences are not well understood. Stimulant users self-report problems with tremor whilst abstinent. Thus, the aim of the current study was to investigate the long-term effect of stimulant use on human tremor during rest and movement. We hypothesized that individuals with a history of stimulant use would exhibit abnormally large tremor during rest and movement. Tremor was assessed in abstinent ecstasy users (n = 9; 22 ± 3 yrs) and abstinent users of amphetamine-like drugs (n = 7; 33 ± 9 yrs) and in two control groups: non-drug users (n = 23; 27 ± 8 yrs) and cannabis users (n = 12; 24 ± 7 yrs). Tremor was measured with an accelerometer attached to the index finger at rest (30 s) and during flexion and extension of the index finger (30 s). Acceleration traces were analyzed with fast-Fourier transform. During movement, tremor amplitude was significantly greater in ecstasy users than in non-drug users (frequency range 3.9-13.3 Hz; P<0.05), but was unaffected in cannabis users or users of amphetamine-like drugs. The peak frequency of tremor did not significantly differ between groups nor did resting tremor. In conclusion, abstinent ecstasy users exhibit an abnormally large tremor during movement. Further work is required to determine if the abnormality translates to increased risk of movement disorders in this population.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-potency cannabis and the risk of psychosis People with first episode of psychosis and healthy controls from the local population | 2009 | Case-control study | n = 454 |
| Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada Rural aboriginal population | 2013 | Observational study | |
| Impaired cognitive performance in drug free users of recreational ecstasy (MDMA) Otherwise healthy young people | 2000 | Observational | |
| Continued cannabis use and risk of incidence and persistence of psychotic symptoms: 10 year follow-up cohort study Individuals from the general population in Germany aged 14-24 at baseline | 2011 | Observational cohort | n = 1,923 |
| Cannabis-induced psychosis and subsequent schizophrenia-spectrum disorders: follow-up study of 535 incident cases Patients treated for cannabis-induced psychotic symptoms in Denmark between 1994 and... | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 535 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Of mice and men on MDMA: a translational comparison of the neuropsychobiological effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ('Ecstasy'). Brain Research November 14, 2019
- MDMA is certainly damaging after 25 years of empirical research: a reply and refutation of Doblin et al. (2014). Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental March 2014
Cites 18
- Positron emission tomographic evidence of toxic effect of MDMA (“Ecstasy”) on brain serotonin neurons in human beings The Lancet October 1, 1998
- Altered Serotonin Innervation Patterns in the Forebrain of Monkeys Treated with (±)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine Seven Years Previously: Factors Influencing Abnormal Recovery Journal of Neuroscience June 15, 1999
- Reorganization of ascending 5-HT axon projections in animals previously exposed to the recreational drug (+/-)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") Journal of Neuroscience August 1, 1995
- Localization of MDMA‐induced brain activity in healthy volunteers using low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) Human Brain Mapping August 27, 2001
- Ecstasy/MDMA attributed problems reported by novice, moderate and heavy recreational users Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental July 12, 2002
and 13 more in the library