MDMA effects consistent across laboratories
M. Kirkpatrick, Matthew J. Baggott, John Mendelson, Gantt P. Galloway, M. Liechti, C. Hysek, Harriet de Wit
Psychopharmacology March 15, 2014 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3528-z (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Placebo-controlled drug challenge study Double-blind Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 220 |
| Population | Healthy volunteers with varying levels of previous MDMA experience |
| Intervention | MDMA |
| Dose | 1.5 mg/kg or 125-mg fixed dose |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Citations | 78 |
| Key points | MDMA produced similar cardiovascular and subjective effects across three different laboratories, with modest evidence for tolerance in regular users. |
Abstract
Several laboratories have conducted placebo-controlled drug challenge studies with 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), providing a unique source of data to examine the reliability of the acute effects of the drug across subject samples and settings. We examined the subjective and physiological responses to the drug across three different laboratories and investigated the influence of prior MDMA use. Overall, 220 healthy volunteers with varying levels of previous MDMA experience participated in laboratory-based studies in which they received placebo or MDMA orally (1.5 mg/kg or 125-mg fixed dose) under double-blind conditions. Cardiovascular and subjective effects were assessed before and repeatedly after drug administration. The studies were conducted independently by investigators in Basel, San Francisco, and Chicago. Despite methodological differences between the studies and differences in the subjects’ drug use histories, MDMA produced very similar cardiovascular and subjective effects across the sites. The participants’ prior use of MDMA was inversely related to feeling “Any Drug Effect” only at sites testing more experienced users. These data indicate that the pharmacological effects of MDMA are robust and highly reproducible across settings. There was also modest evidence for tolerance to the effects of MDMA in regular users.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 62
- Global Street Food: la cocina de la calle Diseño interior 2009
- Distinct acute effects of LSD, MDMA, and d-amphetamine in healthy subjects Neuropsychopharmacology November 16, 2019
- 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of chronic posttraumatic stress disorder: A randomized phase 2 controlled trial. Journal of Psychopharmacology December 1, 2018
- Clinical applications of hallucinogens: A review. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology August 1, 2016
- Breakthrough for Trauma Treatment: Safety and Efficacy of MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy Compared to Paroxetine and Sertraline Frontiers in Psychiatry September 12, 2019
and 57 more in the library
Cites 16
- Recreational MDMA use in Sydney: a profile of ‘Ecstasy’ users and their experiences with the drug British Journal of Addiction August 1, 1992
- Prediction of Psilocybin Response in Healthy Volunteers PLoS One February 17, 2012
- Chronic tolerance to recreational MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) or Ecstasy Journal of Psychopharmacology 2005
- Increased oxytocin concentrations and prosocial feelings in humans after ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) administration Social Neuroscience June 25, 2009
- Acute, sub‐acute and long‐term subjective consequences of ‘ecstasy’ (MDMA) consumption in 430 regular users Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental October 1, 2003
and 11 more in the library