Relationship between ecstasy use and depression: a study controlling for poly-drug use.
Jonathan P. Roiser, Barbara J. Sahakian
Psychopharmacology May 2004 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-003-1705-6 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 110 |
| Population | Current MDMA users, ex-MDMA users, poly-drug controls who never used MDMA, and drug-naive controls |
| Measures | Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Affective Go/No-go task |
| Topics | Depression MDMA |
| Key findings | Current and ex-MDMA users scored significantly higher on the Beck Depression Inventory than drug-naive controls but were not significantly different from poly-drug controls. No group differences were found on the Affective Go/No-go task, indicating MDMA users do not show the attentional bias toward negative material seen in depression. |
Abstract
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "ecstasy") causes serotonin neuron damage in laboratory animals. The serotonin system is known to be important in the regulation of mood. Previous research has shown that MDMA users score higher on self-report ratings of depression than controls. However, MDMA users commonly take other illicit substances and many studies do not fully control for poly-drug use. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between MDMA use and affective disturbance, while fully controlling for poly-drug use. Participants were 30 current MDMA users, 30 poly-drug controls who had never used MDMA, 30 drug-naïve controls with no history of illicit drug use and 20 ex-MDMA users. The current MDMA users and poly-drug controls were well matched on all indices of non-MDMA drug use. All participants were administered the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Affective Go/No-go task, which has been shown to be sensitive to depression. The current and ex-MDMA users scored significantly higher on the BDI than the drug-naive controls, but were not significantly different from the poly-drug controls. There were no differences between the groups in terms of affective bias scores on the Affective Go/No-go task. Increased scores on self-report depression scales in MDMA users are not entirely attributable to MDMA use. MDMA users do not show the same attentional bias towards negatively toned material as depressed patients.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on MDMA for depression, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Symptoms of anxiety and depression in childhood and use of MDMA: prospective, population based study Children and adolescents from the Dutch province of Zuid-Holland | 2006 | Prospective longitudinal population-based study | n = 1,580 |
| Past-year hallucinogen use in relation to psychological distress, depression, and suicidality among US adults. US noninstitutionalized adults from the 2015-2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health | 2022 | Observational cohort | n = 241,675 |
| Ecstasy (MDMA) and its Relationship with Self- Report Depression, Anxiety and Schizotypy Participants divided into three groups: no ecstasy use, light ecstasy users (fewer than... | 2010 | Observational cohort | |
| The relationship between 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) use in young adulthood and anxiety or depressive disorders in the mid-30s: Findings from the Victorian Adolescent Health Cohort Study. Year 9 students (aged 14-15) from 44 Victorian schools in Australia, followed to age 35 | 2025 | Longitudinal population-based cohort study | n = 1,943 |
| Psychiatric profiles of mothers who take Ecstasy/MDMA during pregnancy: reduced depression 1 year after giving birth and quitting Ecstasy. Young women who used recreational drugs during pregnancy: 28 who used Ecstasy/MDMA and... | 2014 | Prospective observational cohort study | n = 96 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 39
- Neurotoxicity of methylenedioxyamphetamines (MDMA; ecstasy) in humans: how strong is the evidence for persistent brain damage? Addiction February 27, 2006
- Human psychobiology of MDMA or ‘Ecstasy’: an overview of 25 years of empirical research Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental July 1, 2013
- The confounding problem of polydrug use in recreational ecstasy/MDMA users: a brief overview 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
- Neurotoxicity of drugs of abuse - the case of methylenedioxy amphetamines (MDMA, ecstasy ), and amphetamines Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience September 30, 2009
and 34 more in the library
Cites 9
- 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
- Mood and cognitive effects of ± 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ‘ecstasy’): week‐end ‘high’ followed by mid‐week low Addiction July 1, 1997
- Reducedin vivobinding to the serotonin transporter in the cerebral cortex of MDMA (‘ecstasy’) users The British Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1999
- Ecstasy/MDMA attributed problems reported by novice, moderate and heavy recreational users Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental July 12, 2002
- Former chronic methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or ecstasy) users report mild depressive symptoms Journal of Psychopharmacology May 1, 2001
and 4 more in the library