Cerebral 1H MRS alterations in recreational 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “ecstasy”) users
L. Chang, Thomas Ernst, C.s. Grob, Russell E. Poland
Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging October 1, 1999 DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1522-2586(199910)10:4<521::aid-jmri4>3.3.co;2-0 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 59 |
| Population | Recreational MDMA users and normal subjects |
| Topics | MDMA Serotonin |
| Keywords | Neurochemical Creatine White matter Magnetic resonance imaging Anesthesia |
| Citations | 28 |
| Key findings | MDMA users showed increased myo-inositol in parietal white matter, suggesting increased glial content without significant neuronal injury. |
Abstract
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is an illicit drug that has been associated with serotonergic axonal degeneration in animals. This study evaluates neurochemical abnormalities in recreational MDMA users. Twenty-two MDMA users and 37 normal subjects were evaluated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) in the mid-frontal, mid-occipital, and parietal brain regions. 1H MRS showed normal N-acetyl (NA) compounds in all brain regions. The myo-inositol (MI) concentration (+16.3%, P = 0.04) and the MI to creatine (CR) ratio (+14.1%, P = 0.01) were increased in the parietal white matter of MDMA users. The cumulative lifetime MDMA dose showed significant effects on [MI] in the parietal white matter and the occipital cortex. The normal NA concentration suggests a lack of significant neuronal injury in recreational MDMA users. However, the usage-related increase in MI suggests that exposure to MDMA, even at recreational doses, may cause increased glial content. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 1999;10:521–526. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.