Functional MRI study of working memory in MDMA users.
F Gerard Moeller, Joel L. Steinberg, Donald M Dougherty, Ponnada A. Narayana, Larry A. Kramer, Perry F Renshaw
Psychopharmacology December 2004 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-004-1908-5 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 34 |
| Population | Individuals with self-reported history of MDMA use and non-MDMA using controls |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | MDMA users showed significantly greater brain activation during the delayed memory task compared with controls in the medial superior frontal gyrus, thalamus extending into putamen, and hippocampus. The authors suggest these effects are consistent with behavioral problems associated with MDMA use and animal studies, though other drug use could contribute. |
Abstract
Methylene-dioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is known to cause degeneration of serotonin nerve terminals after acute doses in animals. Similarly, behavioral studies in human MDMA users regularly find abnormalities in memory, mood, and impulse control. However, studies of brain function using brain imaging in MDMA users have been less consistent. The purpose of this study was to determine, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), whether individuals with a self-reported history of MDMA use would differ from non-MDMA using controls on activation while performing a working memory task. Fifteen MDMA using subjects and 19 non-MDMA using controls underwent fMRI scanning while performing the immediate and delayed memory task (IMT/DMT). The study was based on a block design in which the delayed memory task (DMT) alternated with the immediate memory task (IMT), which served as a control condition. FMRI scans were acquired on a 1.5 T scanner, using a gradient echo echoplanar pulse sequence. Random effects SPM99 analysis showed significantly greater activation (whole volume corrected cluster P<0.05) during the DMT relative to the IMT in the MDMA subjects compared with the control subjects in the medial superior frontal gyrus, in the thalamus extending into putamen, and in the hippocampus. Although these effects could be due to other drugs used by MDMA users, these results are consistent with behavioral problems that are associated with MDMA use, and with animal studies on the effects of MDMA on brain function.
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 25
- Neurotoxicity of methylenedioxyamphetamines (MDMA; ecstasy) in humans: how strong is the evidence for persistent brain damage? Addiction February 27, 2006
- Memory deficits in abstinent MDMA (ecstasy) users: neuropsychological evidence of frontal dysfunction Journal of Psychopharmacology March 30, 2006
- Cognitive performance in recreational ecstasy polydrug users: a two-year follow-up study Journal of Psychopharmacology January 21, 2008
- Neural Effects of MDMA as Determined by Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Awake Marmoset Monkeys Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences August 1, 2006
- Diffusion Tensor Imaging in MDMA Users and Controls: Association with Decision Making The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 2007
and 20 more in the library
Cites 12
- Positron emission tomographic evidence of toxic effect of MDMA (“Ecstasy”) on brain serotonin neurons in human beings The Lancet October 1, 1998
- Memory impairment in abstinent MDMA ("Ecstasy") users Neurology December 1, 1998
- Altered Serotonin Innervation Patterns in the Forebrain of Monkeys Treated with (±)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine Seven Years Previously: Factors Influencing Abnormal Recovery Journal of Neuroscience June 15, 1999
- Impaired cognitive performance in drug free users of recreational ecstasy (MDMA) Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry June 1, 2000
- (±)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (‘Ecstasy’)-Induced Serotonin Neurotoxicity: Studies in Animals Neuropsychobiology 2000
and 7 more in the library