Dark Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
Lee E. Dunlap, Anne M. Andrews, David E. Olson
ACS Chemical Neuroscience July 12, 2018 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00155 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | LSD MDMA Mescaline Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Hallucinogen Amphetamine Recreational use Designer drug Pharmacology |
| Citations | 105 |
| Key findings | MDMA is a unique compound that produces prosocial effects and holds potential to either advance or hinder psychedelic research. |
Abstract
Better known as "ecstasy", 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a small molecule that has played a prominent role in defining the ethos of today's teenagers and young adults, much like lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) did in the 1960s. Though MDMA possesses structural similarities to compounds like amphetamine and mescaline, it produces subjective effects that are unlike any of the classical psychostimulants or hallucinogens and is one of the few compounds capable of reliably producing prosocial behavioral states. As a result, MDMA has captured the attention of recreational users, the media, artists, psychiatrists, and neuropharmacologists alike. Here, we detail the synthesis of MDMA as well as its pharmacology, metabolism, adverse effects, and potential use in medicine. Finally, we discuss its history and why it is perhaps the most important compound for the future of psychedelic science-having the potential to either facilitate new psychedelic research initiatives, or to usher in a second Dark Age for the field.
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 79
- The Subjective Effects of Psychedelics May Not Be Necessary for Their Enduring Therapeutic Effects ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science December 10, 2020
- Psychedelic-inspired drug discovery using an engineered biosensor. Cell April 28, 2021
- Chronic, Intermittent Microdoses of the Psychedelic N , N -Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) Produce Positive Effects on Mood and Anxiety in Rodents ACS Chemical Neuroscience March 4, 2019
- Psychedelics and Other Psychoplastogens for Treating Mental Illness Frontiers in Psychiatry October 4, 2021
- Substance-Induced Psychoses: An Updated Literature Review Frontiers in Psychiatry December 23, 2021
and 74 more in the library
Cites 149
- Psychedelics Promote Structural and Functional Neural Plasticity Cell Reports June 1, 2018
- Amphetamine-type central nervous system stimulants release norepinephrine more potently than they release dopamine and serotonin Synapse 2000
- The safety and efficacy of {+/-}3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy in subjects with chronic, treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder: the first randomized controlled pilot study. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 19, 2010
- Amphetamine, 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, and Metabolites of the Catecholamine Neurotransmitters Are Agonists of a Rat Trace Amine Receptor Molecular Pharmacology December 1, 2001
- Differences Between the Mechanism of Action of MDMA, MBDB, and the Classic Hallucinogens. Identification of a New Therapeutic Class: Entactogens Journal of Psychoactive Drugs October 1, 1986
and 144 more in the library