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The acute effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and d-methamphetamine on human cognitive functioning.

Con Stough, Rebecca King, Katherine Papafotiou, Phillip Swann, Edward Ogden, Keith Wesnes, Luke A. Downey

Psychopharmacology April 2012 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-011-2532-9 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject laboratory study Peer reviewed
Sample size 61
Population Abstinent recreational users of illicit drugs (33 females, 28 males; mean age 25.45 years)
Interventions MDMA d-methamphetamine placebo
Dose 100 mg MDMA; 0.42 mg/kg d-methamphetamine
Duration Acute testing at 3 h (drug peak) and 24 h post-dose
Measures trail-making measures, working memory index, choice reaction task
Topics MDMA
Key points At peak drug concentrations, MDMA was associated with poorer performance on trail-making measures and a trend-level working-memory index, while d-methamphetamine was associated with more accurate choice reaction task performance. Most performance differences between MDMA, methamphetamine, and placebo diminished by 24 hours, although some choice reaction time improvements persisted for methamphetamine.

Abstract

This study investigated the acute (3-h) and 24-h post-dose cognitive effects of oral 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), d-methamphetamine, and placebo in a within-subject double-blind laboratory-based study in order to compare the effect of these two commonly used illicit drugs on a large number of recreational drug users. Sixty-one abstinent recreational users of illicit drugs comprised the participant sample, with 33 females and 28 males, mean age 25.45 years. The three testing sessions involved oral consumption of 100 mg MDMA, 0.42 mg/kg d-methamphetamine, or a matching placebo. The drug administration was counter-balanced, double-blind, and medically supervised. Cognitive performance was assessed during drug peak (3 h) and at 24 h post-dosing time-points. Blood samples were also taken to quantify the levels of drug present at the cognitive testing time-points. Blood concentrations of both methamphetamine and MDMA at drug peak samples were consistent with levels observed in previous studies. The major findings concern poorer performance in the MDMA condition at peak concentration for the trail-making measures and an index of working memory (trend level), and more accurate performance on a choice reaction task within the methamphetamine condition. Most of the differences in performance between the MDMA, methamphetamine, and placebo treatments diminished by the 24-h testing time-point, although some performance improvements subsisted for choice reaction time for the methamphetamine condition. Further research into the acute effects of amphetamine preparations is necessary to further quantify the acute disruption of aspects of human functioning crucial to complex activities such as attention, selective memory, and psychomotor performance.

Comparable studies

Other randomized controlled trials on MDMA, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
MDMA-assisted therapy for severe PTSD: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 study. Patients with severe PTSD, including those with comorbidities such as dissociation,... 2021 Randomized controlled trial n = 90
The safety and efficacy of {+/-}3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy in subjects with chronic, treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder: the first randomized controlled pilot study. Patients with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder refractory to both psychotherapy... 2010 Randomized controlled trial n = 20
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder in military veterans, firefighters, and police officers: a randomised, double-blind, dose-response, phase 2 clinical trial. Military veterans and first responders aged 18 or older with chronic PTSD lasting 6... 2018 Randomized, double-blind, dose-response, phase 2 clinical trial n = 26
A randomized, controlled pilot study of MDMA (±3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine)-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of resistant, chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Patients with treatment-resistant PTSD 2012 Randomized controlled trial n = 12
MDMA-assisted therapy for moderate to severe PTSD: a randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial. Adults with moderate to severe post-traumatic stress disorder 2023 Randomized controlled trial n = 104

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