Parkinsonism after Taking Ecstasy
Scott Mintzer, Susan L. Hickenbottom, Sid Gilman
New England Journal of Medicine May 6, 1999 DOI: 10.1056/nejm199905063401817 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | 29-year-old man |
| Topics | MDMA Mescaline |
| Keywords | Hallucinogen Stimulant Amphetamine Parkinsonism Recreational use Recreational drug Pharmacology Dopamine Anesthesia |
| Citations | 56 |
| Key findings | Parkinsonism developed after repeated use of MDMA. |
Abstract
To the Editor: Recreational use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, or “ecstasy”), a hallucinogen, has increased both in Europe and the United States.1 This substance is manufactured in illicit laboratories from a variety of organic ketone precursors. MDMA, which is structurally related both to the stimulant amphetamine and to the hallucinogen mescaline, promotes the release of both serotonin and dopamine from synaptic terminals.2 We report a case of parkinsonism after repeated use of this drug. A 29-year-old man had slight clumsiness of his upper and lower extremities in August 1998. During the following four weeks he began to have difficulty walking and . . .
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on MDMA, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 'Eve' and 'Ecstasy'. A report of five deaths associated with the use of MDEA and MDMA Individuals whose deaths were associated with MDMA or MDEA use | 1987 | Case series | n = 5 |
| Pathology of deaths associated with "ecstasy" and "eve" misuse. Young white men aged 20 to 25 who died after using ring-substituted amphetamines (MDMA... | 1996 | Case series | n = 7 |
| 'Eve' and 'Ecstasy' Individuals who died after using MDMA or MDEA | 1987 | Case series | n = 5 |
| A Method of Conducting Therapeutic Sessions with MDMA Clients with clear therapeutic purpose, excluding those with serious functional... | 1998 | Case study | n = 2 |
| Diversity of Psychopathology Associated with use of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (‘Ecstasy’) Psychiatric patients presenting between 1990 and 1992 whose symptoms developed in the... | 1994 | Case series | n = 13 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- Club drugs: methylenedioxymethamphetamine, flunitrazepam, ketamine hydrochloride, and gamma-hydroxybutyrate American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy June 1, 2002
- RETRACTED: Severe Dopaminergic Neurotoxicity in Primates After a Common Recreational Dose Regimen of MDMA ("Ecstasy") Science September 27, 2002
- Neurotoxicity of MDMA: Main effects and mechanisms. Experimental Neurology October 1, 2021
- Early onset Parkinson's disease in the cycle of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and substance use: a case report. Journal of Medical Case Reports September 23, 2023
- Striatal Iron Deposition in Recreational MDMA (Ecstasy) Users. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging September 2023
and 1 more in the library