Mood state and brain electric activity in Ecstasy users
Alex Gamma, Edi Frei, Dietrich Lehmann, Roberto D Pascual-Marqui, Daniel Hell, Franz X. Vollenweider
Neuroreport 2000 DOI: 10.1097/00001756-200001170-00031 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 29 |
| Population | Ecstasy users and Ecstasy-naive controls |
| Topics | Anxiety MDMA |
| Keywords | Mood Electroencephalography Scalp Audiology Electrophysiology Cognition Developmental psychology Anatomy |
| Citations | 81 |
| Key findings | Ecstasy users exhibited global increases in theta, alpha 1, and beta 2/3 power during eyes open, along with higher state depressiveness and emotional excitability. |
Abstract
Resting EEG during open and closed eyes and subsequent mood ratings were obtained from 15 Ecstasy users and 14 Ecstasy-naive controls. Absolute spectral power on the scalp, and the three-dimensional, intracerebral distribution of neuroelectric activity using low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) were computed. LORETA revealed global increases of theta, alpha 1 and beta 2/3 power during eyes open in Ecstasy users, and spectral analyses revealed a right-posterior increase of alpha 2 power (confirmed by LORETA) and increased beta band activity during open eyes. Ecstasy users had higher levels of state depressiveness, emotional excitability and a trend-level increase in state anxiety. The observed differences may be related to regular exposure to Ecstasy or other illicit drugs, or may be pre-existing.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
-
Ecstasy users had higher state depressiveness and emotional excitability and a trend-level increase in state anxiety, alongside global EEG power increases.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on MDMA for anxiety, most cited first.