The effect of polymorphism at the serotonin transporter gene on decision-making, memory and executive function in ecstasy users and controls.
Jonathan P. Roiser, Robert D Rogers, Lynnette J Cook, Barbara J. Sahakian
Psychopharmacology October 2006 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-006-0495-z (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Ecstasy users and controls |
| Topics | MDMA Serotonin |
| Key findings | Genotype at 5-HTTLPR influenced cognitive performance, with ss and ls controls attending more to probability differences than ll controls, an effect attenuated in ss ecstasy users; ss volunteers outperformed ll on a visual planning task regardless of ecstasy use. |
Abstract
3, 4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "ecstasy") is a popular drug of abuse known to result in depletions of the serotonin (5-HT) system. A number of studies have reported that ecstasy users differ from controls on a variety of measures of cognitive function. However, the literature is not consistent and many negative findings were also reported. One reason for such inconsistency might be interindividual variance in vulnerability to the deleterious effects of ecstasy due to a number of factors, both genetic and environmental. To investigate the hypothesis that carriers of the s allele at the 5-HT transporter gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR), which was associated with reduced serotonergic neurotransmission relative to the l allele, would be most vulnerable to the effects of ecstasy on cognitive function. We assessed memory, decision-making, and executive function in ecstasy users and controls, stratifying by genotype at the 5-HTTLPR. We observed that the 5-HTTLPR genotype groups differed on a number of measures in both the ecstasy users and the controls. While performing a risky decision-making task, ss and ls controls attended to differences in the probability of winning chosen gambles to a greater extent than the ll controls. However, this difference was dramatically attenuated in the ss ecstasy users. Furthermore, independent of ecstasy use, volunteers of the ss genotype outperformed the ll genotype on a visual planning task. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that cognitive impairment in ecstasy users may depend on genetic variation at the 5-HTTLPR.
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
- Ecstasy use and higher-level cognitive functions: weak effects of ecstasy after control for potential confounds Psychological Medicine September 1, 2008
- Neurocognitive impairments in MDMA and other drug users: MDMA alone may not be a cognitive risk factor Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology September 30, 2009
- Drug and MDMA Interactions Implications for Public Health Handbook of Substance Misuse and Addictions 2022
- Decision-making in chronic ecstasy users: a systematic review. European Journal of Neuroscience January 2017
- Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Ecstasy-Induced Neurotoxicity: An Overview Molecular Neurobiology June 1, 2009
and 2 more in the library
Cites 16
- Memory impairment in abstinent MDMA ("Ecstasy") users Neurology December 1, 1998
- Reducedin vivobinding to the serotonin transporter in the cerebral cortex of MDMA (‘ecstasy’) users The British Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1999
- Cortical Serotonin Transporter Density and Verbal Memory in Individuals Who Stopped Using 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "Ecstasy") Archives of General Psychiatry October 1, 2001
- A Voxel-Based PET Investigation of the Long-Term Effects of “Ecstasy” Consumption on Brain Serotonin Transporters American Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 2004
- Serotonergic function after (±)3,4-methylene-dioxymethamphetarnine (‘Ecstasy’) in humans International Clinical Psychopharmacology 1998
and 11 more in the library