MDMA & Cannabis: A Mini-Review of Cognitive, Behavioral, and Neurobiological Effects of Co-Consumption
Current Drug Abuse Reviews June 1, 2011 DOI: 10.2174/1874473711104020081 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Cannabis MDMA |
| Citations | 15 |
| Key findings | Retrospective studies suggest an additive negative effect on memory and a cannabis-independent decrease in learning and decision-making in MDMA users. Animal studies show modulator effects of acute co-administration on body temperature, conditioned reinforcement, and presumed neurotoxicity, with proposed neural mechanisms involving cannabinoid receptor 1 interactions with serotonergic and dopaminergic systems. |
Abstract
Although the prevalence of co-use of cannabis and 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is very common among polydrug users in western societies, few studies have tested the consequences on behavior, cognition or neurobiology. This review examines 23 articles published between 2002 and 2010 with an explicit focus on the combination, or administration, of MDMA and cannabis or cannabinoid agents. The aim was to provide a short overview on the latest human research concerning cognitive effects of co-consumption of MDMA and cannabis, and a more elaborate picture of the state of knowledge about the interaction of cannabinoid agents and MDMA from animal studies. It was found that recent retrospective studies on cognitive functions in long-term drug abusers point to an additive negative effect on different types of memory, as well as a cannabis-independent decrease in learning and decision-making in MDMA users. Behavioral experiments in rodents and in vitro studies investigating the combined effect of MDMA and cannabinoid agents demonstrate modulator effects of acute co-administration on measures like body temperature, conditioned reinforcement, and presumed neurotoxicity. As neural mechanism underlying these changes, an interaction between the cannabinoid system, especially cannabinoid receptor 1, and the serotonergic and dopaminergic system in the prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and hippocampus is suggested. In conclusion, there are few and somewhat contradictory studies examining the effects of co-use of these drugs on cognitive measures like impulsivity, memory and executive functions or underlying neurobiological alterations, and a shortage of animal studies examining long-term effects of chronic co-administration.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Causal association between cannabis and psychosis: examination of the evidence | 2004 | Review | |
| Cannabis sativa: A comprehensive ethnopharmacological review of a medicinal plant with a long history. General (historical and pharmacological review) | 2018 | Review | |
| Psychiatric effects of cannabis | 2001 | Review | |
| Beyond THC: The New Generation of Cannabinoid Designer Drugs | 2011 | Review | |
| Cannabidiol, a Cannabis sativa constituent, as an antipsychotic drug | 2006 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Sex‐dependent long‐term effects of adolescent exposure to THC and/or MDMA on neuroinflammation and serotoninergic and cannabinoid systems in rats British Journal of Pharmacology November 15, 2013
- Sex-Dependent Psychoneuroendocrine Effects of THC and MDMA in an Animal Model of Adolescent Drug Consumption PLoS One November 4, 2013
- MDMA interactions with pharmaceuticals and drugs of abuse Expert Opinion on Drug Metabolism & Toxicology March 31, 2020
- Adolescent Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposure and Astrocyte-Specific Genetic Vulnerability Converge on Nuclear Factor-κB-Cyclooxygenase-2 Signaling to Impair Memory in Adulthood. Biological Psychiatry August 16, 2018
Cites 22
- 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
- The confounding problem of polydrug use in recreational ecstasy/MDMA users: a brief overview Journal of Psychopharmacology March 1, 2006
- Cognitive function and mood in MDMA/THC users, THC users and non-drug using controls Journal of Psychopharmacology March 1, 2006
- Role of the endocannabinoid system in MDMA intracerebral self‐administration in rats British Journal of Pharmacology August 1, 2002
- Cognitive performance in recreational ecstasy polydrug users: a two-year follow-up study Journal of Psychopharmacology January 21, 2008
and 17 more in the library