Evidence for selective executive function deficits in ecstasy/polydrug users.
Journal of Psychopharmacology January 2009 DOI: 10.1177/0269881108089815 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 81 |
| Population | Heavy ecstasy users, light ecstasy users, and non-users |
| Measures | random letter generation, letter updating, visuo-spatial updating, computation span |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | Heavy ecstasy users were not impaired in random letter generation even under demanding conditions, but showed significant deficits on updating tasks, with effects becoming significant on all three measures after controlling for cannabis use, suggesting a domain-general updating deficit. |
Abstract
Previous research has suggested that the separate aspects of executive functioning are differentially affected by ecstasy use. Although the inhibition process appears to be unaffected by ecstasy use, it is unclear whether this is true of heavy users under conditions of high demand. Tasks loading on the updating process have been shown to be adversely affected by ecstasy use. However, it remains unclear whether the deficits observed reflect the executive aspects of the tasks or whether they are domain general in nature affecting both verbal and visuo-spatial updating. Fourteen heavy ecstasy users (mean total lifetime use 1000 tablets), 39 light ecstasy users (mean total lifetime use 150 tablets) and 28 non-users were tested on tasks loading on the inhibition executive process (random letter generation) and the updating component process (letter updating, visuo-spatial updating and computation span). Heavy users were not impaired in random letter generation even under conditions designed to be more demanding. Ecstasy-related deficits were observed on all updating measures and were statistically significant for two of the three measures. Following controls for various aspects of cannabis use, statistically significant ecstasy-related deficits were obtained on all three updating measures. It was concluded that the inhibition process is unaffected by ecstasy use even among heavy users. By way of contrast, the updating process appears to be impaired in ecstasy users with the deficit apparently domain general in nature.
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
- Executive Working Memory Deficits in Abstinent Ecstasy/MDMA Users: A Critical Review Neuropsychobiology 2009
- Discrete memory impairments in largely pure chronic users of MDMA. European Neuropsychopharmacology October 1, 2017
- Visuospatial working memory impairment in current and previous ecstasy/polydrug users Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental June 1, 2011
- The relationships of ‘ecstasy’ (MDMA) and cannabis use to impaired executive inhibition and access to semantic long‐term memory Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental September 7, 2011
- Disorders due to Substance Use: Hallucinogens and MDMA-Related Substances Tasman’s Psychiatry 2023
and 2 more in the library
Cites 7
- Recreational MDMA use in Sydney: a profile of ‘Ecstasy’ users and their experiences with the drug British Journal of Addiction August 1, 1992
- Neurotoxicity of methylenedioxyamphetamines (MDMA; ecstasy) in humans: how strong is the evidence for persistent brain damage? Addiction February 27, 2006
- MDMA polydrug users show processspecific central executive impairments coupled with impaired social and emotional judgement processes Journal of Psychopharmacology March 30, 2006
- Neuroimaging findings with MDMA/ecstasy: technical aspects, conceptual issues and future prospects Journal of Psychopharmacology March 1, 2006
- Verbal working memory deficits in current and previous users of MDMA Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental May 5, 2004
and 2 more in the library