Persistent nigrostriatal dopaminergic abnormalities in ex-users of MDMA ('Ecstasy'): an 18F-dopa PET study.
Yen F Tai, Rosa Hoshi, Catherine M Brignell, Lisa Cohen, David J Brooks, Helen Valerie Curran, Paola Piccini
Neuropsychopharmacology March 2011 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2010.201 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 40 |
| Population | Male ex-recreational users of ecstasy, polydrug-using controls, and drug-naive controls |
| Duration | Mean abstinence of 3.22 years |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | Ex-ecstasy users had 9% higher putamen (18)F-dopa uptake than drug-naive controls, with polydrug controls intermediate, suggesting long-lasting hyperdopaminergic effects after a mean 3.22 years of abstinence; no relationship was found between ecstasy amount and striatal uptake. |
Abstract
Ecstasy (±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, MDMA) is a popular recreational drug with known serotonergic neurotoxicity. Its long-term effects on dopaminergic function are less certain. Studying the long-term effects of ecstasy is often confounded by concomitant polydrug use and the short duration of abstinence. We used (18)F-dopa positron emission tomography (PET) to investigate the long-term effects of ecstasy on nigrostriatal dopaminergic function in a group of male ex-recreational users of ecstasy who had been abstinent for a mean of 3.22 years. We studied 14 ex-ecstasy users (EEs), 14 polydrug-using controls (PCs) (matched to the ex-users for other recreational drug use), and 12 drug-naive controls (DCs). Each participant underwent one (18)F-dopa PET, cognitive assessments, and hair and urinary analyses to corroborate drug-use history. The putamen (18)F-dopa uptake of EEs was 9% higher than that of DCs (p=0.021). The putamen uptake rate of PCs fell between the other two groups, suggesting that the hyperdopaminergic state in EEs may be due to the combined effects of ecstasy and polydrug use. There was no relationship between the amount of ecstasy used and striatal (18)F-dopa uptake. Increased putaminal (18)F-dopa uptake in EEs after an abstinence of >3 years (mean) suggests that the effects are long lasting. Our findings suggest potential long-term effects of ecstasy use, in conjunction with other recreational drugs, on nigrostriatal dopaminergic functions. Further longitudinal studies are required to elucidate the significance of these findings as they may have important public health implications.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on MDMA, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subjective Reports of the Effects of MDMA in a Clinical Setting Individuals who took MDMA in a clinical setting | 1986 | Observational study | |
| Memory impairment in abstinent MDMA ("Ecstasy") users Abstinent MDMA users | 1998 | Observational cohort | |
| Impaired cognitive performance in drug free users of recreational ecstasy (MDMA) Otherwise healthy young people | 2000 | Observational | |
| The Psychological and Physiological Effects of MDMA on Normal Volunteers Older, more educated, drug-experienced individuals | 1986 | Observational cohort | |
| Cognitive performance in recreational users of MDMA or 'ecstasy': evidence for memory deficits Young people who were regular or novice MDMA users, or non-users | 1998 | Observational cohort | n = 30 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- Neurotoxicity of MDMA: Main effects and mechanisms. Experimental Neurology October 1, 2021
- Neuronal and peripheral damages induced by synthetic psychoactive substances: an update of recent findings from human and animal studies. Neural Regeneration Research May 1, 2020
- Progression and Persistence of Neurotoxicity Induced by MDMA in Dopaminergic Regions of the Mouse Brain and Association with Noradrenergic, GABAergic, and Serotonergic Damage. Neurotoxicity Research November 2017
- Contribution of Impulsivity and Serotonin Receptor Neuroadaptations to the Development of an MDMA ('Ecstasy') Substance Use Disorder. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences 2017
- The mixture of "ecstasy" and its metabolites impairs mitochondrial fusion/fission equilibrium and trafficking in hippocampal neurons, at in vivo relevant concentrations. Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology June 2014
and 2 more in the library
Cites 14
- Reducedin vivobinding to the serotonin transporter in the cerebral cortex of MDMA (‘ecstasy’) users The British Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1999
- Diversity of Psychopathology Associated with use of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (‘Ecstasy’) The British Journal of Psychiatry September 1, 1994
- The confounding problem of polydrug use in recreational ecstasy/MDMA users: a brief overview Journal of Psychopharmacology March 1, 2006
- Striatal serotonin is depleted in brain of a human MDMA (Ecstasy) user Neurology July 25, 2000
- Long-Term Neuropsychiatric Consequences of "Ecstasy" (MDMA): A Review Harvard Review of Psychiatry 2002
and 9 more in the library