Positron emission tomographic evidence of toxic effect of MDMA (“Ecstasy”) on brain serotonin neurons in human beings
Ud Mccann, Zsolt Szabó, Ursula Scheffel, Rf Dannals, George A. Ricaurte
The Lancet October 1, 1998 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(98)04329-3 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quantitative PET study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Human MDMA users |
| Topics | MDMA Serotonin |
| Keywords | Positron emission tomography Human brain Pharmacology |
| Citations | 664 |
| Key points | Direct evidence of a decrease in a structural component of brain serotonin neurons in human MDMA users. |
Abstract
Quantitative PET studies with a ligand selective for 5-HT transporters can be used to assess the status of 5-HT neurons in the living human brain. We show direct evidence of a decrease in a structural component of brain 5-HT neurons in human MDMA users.