Chronic MDMA (ecstasy) use, cognition and mood.
K McCardle, S Luebbers, J D Carter, R J Croft, C Stough
Psychopharmacology May 2004 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-004-1791-0 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 32 |
| Population | Participants with a history of MDMA use and control subjects |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | MDMA users scored higher on depression and showed poorer delayed recall and verbal learning than controls after accounting for cannabis and depression, suggesting difficulties in long-term memory coding, verbal learning, and attention. |
Abstract
It has been suggested that 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or ecstasy) causes damage to the serotonergic system, and that this damage results in cognitive and mood impairments. To examine the effect of chronic MDMA usage on a wide battery of cognitive tests and psychological abilities and processes. In the present study, the performance of 17 participants with a history of MDMA use was compared to the performance of 15 control subjects on a battery of neuropsychological tests. This battery included tests for depression, immediate word recall, delayed recall, attention and working memory. Results indicated that the MDMA group had significantly higher scores for depression than the control group, and displayed poorer delayed recall and verbal learning than controls after accounting statistically for the effects of cannabis and depression. These results suggest that MDMA users exhibit difficulties in coding information into long-term memory, display impaired verbal learning, are more easily distracted, and are less efficient at focusing attention on complex tasks.
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 58
- Neurotoxicity of methylenedioxyamphetamines (MDMA; ecstasy) in humans: how strong is the evidence for persistent brain damage? Addiction February 27, 2006
- Mood, cognition and serotonin transporter availability in current and former ecstasy (MDMA) users: the longitudinal perspective Journal of Psychopharmacology March 1, 2006
- MDMA in humans: factors which affect the neuropsychobiological profiles of recreational ecstasy users, the integrative role of bioenergetic stress Journal of Psychopharmacology March 1, 2006
- Memory deficits in abstinent MDMA (ecstasy) users: neuropsychological evidence of frontal dysfunction Journal of Psychopharmacology March 30, 2006
- The neuropsychology of ecstasy (MDMA) use: a quantitative review Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental September 25, 2007
and 53 more in the library
Cites 15
- Positron emission tomographic evidence of toxic effect of MDMA (“Ecstasy”) on brain serotonin neurons in human beings The Lancet October 1, 1998
- Recreational MDMA use in Sydney: a profile of ‘Ecstasy’ users and their experiences with the drug British Journal of Addiction August 1, 1992
- Memory impairment in abstinent MDMA ("Ecstasy") users Neurology December 1, 1998
- Impaired cognitive performance in drug free users of recreational ecstasy (MDMA) Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry June 1, 2000
- 3,4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “Ecstasy”): pharmacology and toxicology in animals and humans Addiction May 1, 1994
and 10 more in the library