Additive Effects of Former Methylenedioxymethamphetamine and Cannabis Use on Subclinical Psychotic Symptoms.
Berker Duman, Nilay Sedes, Bora Baskak
Noro psikiyatri arsivi March 2017 DOI: 10.5152/npa.2017.16964 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 231 |
| Population | Former cannabis and MDMA users, former cannabis-only users, and healthy controls |
| Measures | Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) |
| Topics | Cannabis MDMA |
| Keywords | Psychotic disorders Substance-induced psychosis Substance-related disorders |
| Key findings | Former combined cannabis and MDMA users had higher subclinical psychotic symptom scores than cannabis-only users and healthy controls, with a hierarchical pattern across groups. Greater total MDMA exposure was associated with higher symptom scores, while longer MDMA-free periods were associated with lower scores, suggesting both exposure amount and abstinence duration influence subclinical psychotic symptoms. |
Abstract
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is an amphetamine-derived psychostimulant, usually known as "ecstasy." The long-term neuropsychological effects of MDMA are examined in several studies with conflicting results. The most common findings reported are depression, anxiety, and memory and attention deficits. In addition to acute psychotic reactions observed after MDMA use, serotonergic and dopaminergic toxicities may increase the psychosis risk in the long-term. Cannabis usage among MDMA users is very high. The aim of this study was, therefore, to examine the additive effects of cannabis and MDMA on subclinical psychotic symptoms (SPS). Here, 131 healthy controls (hC), 54 former cannabis and MDMA users (C&M), and 46 former cannabis users (C) were evaluated for SPS. The definition of former user was based on the Munich Composite International Diagnostic Interview. The SPS scores were assessed by using the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ). The relationship between substance-free periods and total MDMA exposure with SPS was also examined. The C&M group had higher levels of SPS than both C and hC groups. This is true not only for the total SPQ scores but both positive and negative schizotypy scores as well as cognitive-perceptual, disorganized, and interpersonal schizotypy scores aligned hierarchically in the 3 study groups (C&M>C>hC). The total MDMA exposure was positively correlated and MDMA-free period was negatively correlated with the SPS score. We found that the former use of cannabis and MDMA is associated with marked elevation in SPS. Moreover, the exposure amount of MDMA and MDMA-free periods are important determinants of SPS. The longer the cannabis and ecstasy free periods, the larger is the waning of SPS.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannabis use before age 15 and subsequent executive functioning 104 chronic cannabis users (49 early-onset before age 15, 55 late-onset after age 15)... | 2011 | Observational cross-sectional study | n = 148 |
| Patterns of simultaneous polysubstance use in drug using university students Drug-using university students | 2006 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 149 |
| Persisting Reductions in Cannabis, Opioid, and Stimulant Misuse After Naturalistic Psychedelic Use: An Online Survey Online survey respondents | 2020 | Cross-sectional survey | |
| User perceptions of the benefits and harms of hallucinogenic drug use: A web-based questionnaire study Users of hallucinogenic drugs who completed a web-based questionnaire | 2010 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 600 |
| Illicit Use of LSD or Psilocybin, but not MDMA or Nonpsychedelic Drugs, is Associated with Mystical Experiences in a Dose-Dependent Manner Adults recruited from the MAPS website and newsletter, most reporting use of various... | 2012 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 337 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Attenuated Psychotic Symptoms in Adolescents With Chronic Cannabis and MDMA Use Frontiers in Psychiatry January 21, 2022
- Anxiety-related Symptoms following the Sporadic Use of Ecstasy – A Case Study Journal of Psychoactive Drugs November 25, 2021
- The role of Ecstasy (MDMA) in managing intimacy and conflict in stable relationships. Culture, health & sexuality October 2018
Cites 9
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and 4 more in the library