The relationships of ‘ecstasy’ (MDMA) and cannabis use to impaired executive inhibition and access to semantic long‐term memory
Philip N. Murphy, Philip G. Erwin, L. Maciver, John E. Fisk, Derek Larkin, Michelle Wareing, Catharine Montgomery, Joanne Hilton, Frank J. Tames, Belinda Fay Bradley, K. Yanulevitch, Richard Ralley
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental September 7, 2011 DOI: 10.1002/hup.1228 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cross-sectional between-participants study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 40 |
| Population | Adults who used both ecstasy and cannabis (n = 15), cannabis only (n = 13), and controls with no exposure to these drugs (n = 12) |
| Measures | random letter generation task (repeat sequences, alphabetical sequences, redundancy) |
| Topics | Cannabis MDMA |
| Citations | 9 |
| Key findings | Participants who used both ecstasy and cannabis showed significantly higher redundancy on the random letter generation task than controls, but did not differ from cannabis-only users; no significant group effects were found for repeat or alphabetical sequences. In regression, only cannabis consumption significantly predicted redundancy scores. The authors suggest impaired access to semantic long-term memory may be related to cannabis consumption, while executive inhibitory functioning appears unrelated to ecstasy and cannabis consumption. |
Abstract
This study aimed to examine the relationship between the consumption of ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)) and cannabis, and performance on the random letter generation task which generates dependent variables drawing upon executive inhibition and access to semantic long-term memory (LTM). The participant group was a between-participant independent variable with users of both ecstasy and cannabis (E/C group, n = 15), users of cannabis but not ecstasy (CA group, n = 13) and controls with no exposure to these drugs (CO group, n = 12). Dependent variables measured violations of randomness: number of repeat sequences, number of alphabetical sequences (both drawing upon inhibition) and redundancy (drawing upon access to semantic LTM). E/C participants showed significantly higher redundancy than CO participants but did not differ from CA participants. There were no significant effects for the other dependent variables. A regression model comprising intelligence measures and estimates of ecstasy and cannabis consumption predicted redundancy scores, but only cannabis consumption contributed significantly to this prediction. Impaired access to semantic LTM may be related to cannabis consumption, although the involvement of ecstasy and other stimulant drugs cannot be excluded here. Executive inhibitory functioning, as measured by the random letter generation task, is unrelated to ecstasy and cannabis consumption.
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
- Strategic control, consolidation and poly-drug use; the relative contributions to verbal memory impairment in recreational ecstasy users UTAS Research Repository August 1, 2014
- Association of Cannabis With Cognitive Functioning in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis JAMA Psychiatry June 1, 2018
- Signs & symptoms of Dextromethorphan exposure from YouTube. PLoS One February 12, 2014
Cites 6
- A Voxel-Based PET Investigation of the Long-Term Effects of “Ecstasy” Consumption on Brain Serotonin Transporters American Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 2004
- Cortisol and 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine: Neurohormonal Aspects of Bioenergetic Stress in Ecstasy Users Neuropsychobiology 2009
- Executive Working Memory Deficits in Abstinent Ecstasy/MDMA Users: A Critical Review Neuropsychobiology 2009
- Evidence for selective executive function deficits in ecstasy/polydrug users. Journal of Psychopharmacology January 2009
- Abnormal brain activity in prefrontal brain regions in abstinent marijuana users. Neuroimage November 2004
and 1 more in the library