Patterns of Memory Dysfunction in Current and 2-year Abstinent MDMA Users
Jeff Ward, Kate Hall, Catherine Haslam
Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology March 21, 2006 DOI: 10.1080/13803390490918174 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 91 |
| Population | Current MDMA users, former MDMA users abstinent for over two years, and non-user controls |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Keywords | Memory impairment Memory disorder Recreational drug Cognition Developmental psychology Cognitive disorder |
| Citations | 28 |
| Key findings | MDMA use is associated with memory dysfunction that persists for up to two years after cessation, possibly due to interference at the encoding stage of memory processing. |
Abstract
The popular recreational drug MDMA or "ecstasy" is a selective serotonin neurotoxin in many species and has been found to be associated with memory dysfunction in human beings. Recent studies suggest that this impairment persists after cessation of use for periods up to at least one year. However, there is no clear indication as yet concerning which stage of memory processing is impaired as a result of MDMA use. In the current study, 31 current MDMA users and 30 MDMA users who had been abstinent for more than two years were compared with 30 controls on the WMS-III. The results suggest that MDMA use is associated with memory dysfunction and that this dysfunction persists for up to two years after cessation of use. Importantly, the findings suggest that this memory dysfunction may be due to interference at the encoding stage of memory processing.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on MDMA, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recreational MDMA use in Sydney: a profile of ‘Ecstasy’ users and their experiences with the drug Recreational Ecstasy users recruited via snowball peer network | 1992 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 100 |
| Reducedin vivobinding to the serotonin transporter in the cerebral cortex of MDMA (‘ecstasy’) users Male regular ecstasy users and well-matched controls | 1999 | Cross-sectional association study | n = 20 |
| Patterns of simultaneous polysubstance use in drug using university students Drug-using university students | 2006 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 149 |
| Patterns of recreational drug use at dance events in Edinburgh, Scotland Drug users at dance events in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, aged 16-47, 80% between 18 and... | 2001 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 122 |
| Acute, sub‐acute and long‐term subjective consequences of ‘ecstasy’ (MDMA) consumption in 430 regular users Regular MDMA users | 2003 | Cross-sectional study | n = 466 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 11
- Ecstasy use and higher-level cognitive functions: weak effects of ecstasy after control for potential confounds Psychological Medicine September 1, 2008
- MDMA intoxication and verbal memory performance: a placebo-controlled pharmaco-MRI study Journal of Psychopharmacology May 26, 2011
- Psychedelic bliss : memory and risk taking during MDMA intoxication 2007
- Long-term neurocognitive side effects of MDMA in recreational ecstasy users following sustained abstinence: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Psychopharmacology November 19, 2025
- Strategic control, consolidation and poly-drug use; the relative contributions to verbal memory impairment in recreational ecstasy users UTAS Research Repository August 1, 2014
and 6 more in the library
Cites 17
- Positron emission tomographic evidence of toxic effect of MDMA (“Ecstasy”) on brain serotonin neurons in human beings The Lancet October 1, 1998
- Memory impairment in abstinent MDMA ("Ecstasy") users Neurology December 1, 1998
- Human psychopharmacology of Ecstasy (MDMA): a review of 15 years of empirical research Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental December 1, 2001
- 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
- Impaired cognitive performance in drug free users of recreational ecstasy (MDMA) Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry June 1, 2000
and 12 more in the library