Elevated impulsivity and impaired decision-making cognition in heavy users of MDMA (“Ecstasy”)
Boris B. Quednow, K. Kühn, C. Hoppe, J. Westheide, Wolfgang Maier, Irene Daum, M. Wagner
Psychopharmacology January 20, 2006 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-005-0256-4 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 57 |
| Population | Male, abstinent heavy MDMA users; male, abstinent cannabis users; male, drug-naïve controls |
| Measures | Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT), Go/No-Go Task (GNG), Gambling Task (GT) |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | MDMA users had significantly elevated impulsivity scores on the MFFT and performed worse on the Gambling Task than controls, while cannabis users did not differ from controls. Impulsivity and decision-making performance correlated with MDMA intake and with each other, suggesting heavy MDMA use may impair these cognitive functions. |
Abstract
RationaleIn animal studies, the common club drug 3,4-methylendioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “Ecstasy”) consistently caused a prolonged loss of presynaptic serotonergic neurons, and evidence suggests that MDMA consumption may also affect the human serotonergic system. Serotonin (5-HT) has been implicated in the regulation of impulsivity and such executive functions as decision-making cognition. In fact, MDMA users have shown elevated impulsivity in two studies, but little is known about decision making in drug-free MDMA consumers.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine the cognitive neurotoxicity of MDMA with regard to behavioral impulsivity and decision-making cognition.MethodsNineteen male, abstinent, heavy MDMA users; 19 male, abstinent cannabis users; and 19 male, drug-naïve controls were examined with the Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT) as well as with a Go/No-Go Task (GNG) for impulsivity and with a Gambling Task (GT) for executive functioning.ResultsMDMA users showed significantly elevated impulsivity in the MFFT Impulsivity score (I-score), but not in commission errors of the GNG, compared with controls. Cannabis users did not yield altered impulsivity compared with controls. In the GT, MDMA users performed significantly worse than cannabis consumers and controls, whereas cannabis users exhibited the same decision-making capacity as controls. In addition, the I-score as well as the decision-making performance was correlated with measures of MDMA intake. The I-score and the decision-making performance were also correlated.ConclusionThese results suggest that heavy use of MDMA may elevate behavioral impulsivity and impair decision-making cognition possibly mediated by a selective impairment of the 5-HT system.
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 32
- Effects of Acute MDMA Intoxication on Mood and Impulsivity: Role of the 5-HT2 and 5-HT1 Receptors PLoS One July 10, 2012
- Neurotoxicity of drugs of abuse - the case of methylenedioxy amphetamines (MDMA, ecstasy ), and amphetamines Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience September 30, 2009
- The neuropsychology of ecstasy (MDMA) use: a quantitative review Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental September 25, 2007
- Cannabis and cocaine decrease cognitive impulse control and functional corticostriatal connectivity in drug users with low activity DBH genotypes Brain Imaging and Behavior December 14, 2015
- Cognitive performance in recreational ecstasy polydrug users: a two-year follow-up study Journal of Psychopharmacology January 21, 2008
and 27 more in the library
Cites 24
- Positron emission tomographic evidence of toxic effect of MDMA (“Ecstasy”) on brain serotonin neurons in human beings The Lancet October 1, 1998
- Methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) cause selective ablation of serotonergic axon terminals in forebrain: immunocytochemical evidence for neurotoxicity Journal of Neuroscience August 1, 1988
- The molecular mechanism of "ecstasy" [3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA)]: serotonin transporters are targets for MDMA-induced serotonin release. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences March 1, 1992
- 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
- Reducedin vivobinding to the serotonin transporter in the cerebral cortex of MDMA (‘ecstasy’) users The British Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1999
and 19 more in the library