A review of acute effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine in healthy volunteers
Journal of Psychopharmacology March 1, 2006 DOI: 10.1177/0269881106063271 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Healthy volunteers |
| Intervention | MDMA (ecstasy) |
| Dose | 1.0 mg/kg |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Keywords | Placebo Hallucinogen Amphetamine Cognition |
| Citations | 148 |
| Key findings | MDMA produces robust effects on subjective experiences and physiological measures, with a clear dose-response relationship for cardiovascular effects, but cognitive effects remain poorly understood. |
Abstract
This review of the literature aims to identify the acute effects of MDMA (ecstasy) in healthy volunteers. The wide range of relevant but methodologically diverse tests was .rst grouped into clusters to allow an evaluation of tests that would otherwise have been excluded due to their low frequency of utilization. The following three types of tests were evaluated: (1) functional tests quantifying executive, attention, visual, motor, visuomotor and auditory functions, (2) phenomenological tests assessing personal, subjective experiences, and (3) physiological measures re.ecting neurophysiological, endocrine and physiological parameters. MDMA showed robust effects on most of the phenomenological and physiological tests. Functional tests were scarce, preventing any meaningful conclusions to be drawn from their evaluation other than that these tests should be incorporated into future acute-effect studies. A striking doseñresponse relationship appeared for cardiovascular effects. At doses below 1.0 mg/kg MDMA no change was observed relative to placebo while above this dose all studies reported signi.cant increases. Furthermore, pupil size, plasma cortisol and plasma prolactin levels proved responsive to MDMA administration. The reported subjective effects of MDMA matched the entactogenic profile. Although interest in the action of MDMA is considerable, the existing knowledge about the cognitive effects of MDMA in humans is still rather limited and further research into the drug's effects is recommended, also in view of potential therapeutic uses of the drug.
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 80
- Increased oxytocin concentrations and prosocial feelings in humans after ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) administration Social Neuroscience June 25, 2009
- Clinical applications of hallucinogens: A review. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology August 1, 2016
- Human psychobiology of MDMA or ‘Ecstasy’: an overview of 25 years of empirical research Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental July 1, 2013
- Adverse events in clinical treatments with serotonergic psychedelics and MDMA: A mixed-methods systematic review Journal of Psychopharmacology August 26, 2022
- Decreased cerebral cortical serotonin transporter binding in ecstasy users: a positron emission tomography/[11C]DASB and structural brain imaging study Brain May 17, 2010
and 75 more in the library
Cites 29
- Cardiovascular and neuroendocrine effects and pharmacokinetics of 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine in humans. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics July 1, 1999
- Gender differences in the subjective effects of MDMA Psychopharmacology March 5, 2001
- Human psychopharmacology of Ecstasy (MDMA): a review of 15 years of empirical research Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental December 1, 2001
- (±)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (‘Ecstasy’)-Induced Serotonin Neurotoxicity: Studies in Animals Neuropsychobiology 2000
- Which neuroreceptors mediate the subjective effects of MDMA in humans? A summary of mechanistic studies Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental December 1, 2001
and 24 more in the library