Brain serotonin transporter binding in former users of MDMA (‘ecstasy’)
Sudhakar Selvaraj, Rosa Hoshi, Zubin Bhagwagar, Naga Venkatesha Murthy, Rainer Hinz, Philip J. Cowen, Valerie H. Curran, Paul M. Grasby
The British Journal of Psychiatry March 31, 2009 DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.108.050344 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 40 |
| Population | Former MDMA users, polydrug users who never took MDMA, and controls with no illicit drug history |
| Topics | MDMA Serotonin |
| Keywords | Serotonin transporter Neurotoxicity Methylenedioxy Pharmacology |
| Citations | 59 |
| Key findings | No significant difference in serotonin transporter binding potential was found between former MDMA users, polydrug users, and controls. |
Abstract
Background: Animal experimental studies have prompted concerns that widespread use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; ‘ecstasy’) by young people may pose a major public health problem in terms of persistent serotonin neurotoxicity.
Aims: To determine the status of brain serotonin neurons in a group of abstinent MDMA users.
Method: We assessed the integrity of brain serotonin neurons by measuring serotonin transporter (SERT) binding using positron emission tomography (PET) and [ 11 C]DASB in 12 former MDMA users, 9 polydrug users who had never taken MDMA and 19 controls who reported no history of illicit drug use.
Results: There was no significant difference in the binding potential of [ 11 C]DASB between the groups in any of the brain regions examined.
Conclusions: To the extent that [ 11 C]DASB binding provides an index of the integrity of serotonin neurons, our findings suggest that MDMA use may not result in long-term damage to serotonin neurons when used recreationally in humans.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on MDMA, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subjective Reports of the Effects of MDMA in a Clinical Setting Individuals who took MDMA in a clinical setting | 1986 | Observational study | |
| Memory impairment in abstinent MDMA ("Ecstasy") users Abstinent MDMA users | 1998 | Observational cohort | |
| Impaired cognitive performance in drug free users of recreational ecstasy (MDMA) Otherwise healthy young people | 2000 | Observational | |
| The Psychological and Physiological Effects of MDMA on Normal Volunteers Older, more educated, drug-experienced individuals | 1986 | Observational cohort | |
| Cognitive performance in recreational users of MDMA or 'ecstasy': evidence for memory deficits Young people who were regular or novice MDMA users, or non-users | 1998 | Observational cohort | n = 30 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 27
- Decreased cerebral cortical serotonin transporter binding in ecstasy users: a positron emission tomography/[11C]DASB and structural brain imaging study Brain May 17, 2010
- First study of safety and tolerability of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy in patients with alcohol use disorder. Journal of Psychopharmacology February 18, 2021
- Neurotoxicity of drugs of abuse - the case of methylenedioxy amphetamines (MDMA, ecstasy ), and amphetamines Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience September 30, 2009
- User perceptions of the benefits and harms of hallucinogenic drug use: A web-based questionnaire study Journal of Substance Use July 30, 2010
- The role of monoamines in the changes in body temperature induced by 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) and its derivatives British Journal of Pharmacology March 3, 2010
and 22 more in the library
Cites 11
- 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine destroy serotonin terminals in rat brain: quantification of neurodegeneration by measurement of [3H]paroxetine-labeled serotonin uptake sites. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics September 1, 1987
- 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
- (±)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (‘Ecstasy’)-Induced Serotonin Neurotoxicity: Studies in Animals Neuropsychobiology 2000
- 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
- Cortical Serotonin Transporter Density and Verbal Memory in Individuals Who Stopped Using 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "Ecstasy") Archives of General Psychiatry October 1, 2001
and 6 more in the library