MDMA, methamphetamine and their combination: possible lessons for party drug users from recent preclinical research
Kelly J. Clemens, Iain S. Mcgregor, Glenn E. Hunt, Jennifer L. Cornish
Drug and Alcohol Review 2007 DOI: 10.1080/09595230601036945 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | MDMA |
| Keywords | Methamphetamine Meth- Neurochemical Pharmacology Drug Adverse effect Hallucinogen |
| Citations | 55 |
| Key findings | MDMA and methamphetamine can cause long-term reductions in brain monoamines and lasting behavioral changes in animal models, and their combination may produce greater adverse effects than either drug alone. |
Abstract
Abstract The substituted amphetamines 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ‘Ecstasy’) and methamphetamine (METH, ‘ice’, ‘speed’) are increasingly popular drugs amongst party‐drug users. Studies with humans have investigated the acute and possible long‐term adverse effects of these drugs, yet outcomes of such studies are often ambiguous due to a variety of confounding factors. Studies employing animal models have value in determining the acute and long‐term effects of MDMA and METH on brain and behaviour. Self‐administration studies show that intravenous METH is a particularly potent reinforcer in rats and other species. In contrast, MDMA appears to have powerful effects in enhancing social behaviour in laboratory animals. Brief exposure to MDMA or METH may produce long‐term reductions in dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline in the brain and alterations in the density of various receptor and transporter proteins. However it is still unclear, particularly in the case of MDMA, whether this reflects a ‘neurotoxic’ effect of the drug. Lasting alterations in social behaviour, anxiety, depressive symptoms and memory have been demonstrated in laboratory rats given MDMA or METH and this matches long‐term changes reported in some human studies. Recent laboratory studies suggest that MDMA/METH combinations may produce greater adverse neurochemical and behavioural effects than either drug alone. This is of some concern given recent evidence that party drug users may be frequently exposed to this combination of drugs.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on MDMA, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Pharmacology of MDMA | 2004 | Review | |
| Human psychopharmacology of Ecstasy (MDMA): a review of 15 years of empirical research | 2001 | Review | |
| 3,4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “Ecstasy”): pharmacology and toxicology in animals and humans | 1994 | Review | |
| (±)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (‘Ecstasy’)-Induced Serotonin Neurotoxicity: Studies in Animals | 2000 | Review | |
| Amphetamine toxicities | 2010 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 18
- Who is ‘Molly’? MDMA adulterants by product name and the impact of harm-reduction services at raves Journal of Psychopharmacology July 10, 2017
- Cortisol and 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine: Neurohormonal Aspects of Bioenergetic Stress in Ecstasy Users Neuropsychobiology 2009
- MDMA/ecstasy use and psilocybin use are associated with lowered odds of psychological distress and suicidal thoughts in a sample of US adults Journal of Psychopharmacology 2022
- Lifetime use of MDMA/ecstasy and psilocybin is associated with reduced odds of major depressive episodes Journal of Psychopharmacology 2022
- Simultaneous polysubstance use among Danish 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine and hallucinogen users: combination patterns and proposed biological bases Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental June 14, 2012
and 13 more in the library
Cites 14
- Amphetamine-type central nervous system stimulants release norepinephrine more potently than they release dopamine and serotonin Synapse 2000
- 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) neurotoxicity in rats: a reappraisal of past and present findings Psychopharmacology March 15, 2006
- Which neuroreceptors mediate the subjective effects of MDMA in humans? A summary of mechanistic studies Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental December 1, 2001
- Chronic tolerance to recreational MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) or Ecstasy Journal of Psychopharmacology 2005
- The pharmacology of the acute hyperthermic response that follows administration of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ‘ecstasy’) to rats British Journal of Pharmacology 2002
and 9 more in the library