Addiction
December 1, 2002
Jon C. Cole, Mike Bailey, Harry Sumnall et al.
149 citations
ABSTRACT Aims To examine the variation in the content of ecstasy tablets seized in the north‐west of England during 2001 and to compare it to the UK average from 1991 to 2001. Measurements All tablets submitted to the Forensic Science Service in the north‐west of England during 2001 were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC‐DAD). The mean MDMA...
The FASEB Journal
December 1, 2002
Bruce Ladenheim, Michael Mccoy, Jean Lud Cadet et al.
34 citations
ABSTRACT 3,4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) is a popular drug of abuse. MDMA is pharmacologically classified as an entactogen because of its affinities to classical hallucinogens and stimulants. Oral ingestion of a single dose of the drug is associated with euphoria, elevated self‐confidence, and heightened sensory awareness in humans. Evidence for neurotoxicity in the human...
Brain Research
November 22, 2002
Suzanne Colbron, Mark Jones, Stephany M Biello
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or 'Ecstasy') is a widely used recreational drug that damages serotonin 5-HT neurons in animals and possibly humans. Published literature has shown that the serotonergic system is involved in photic and non-photic phase shifting of the circadian clock, which is located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei. Despite the dense innervation of the circadian system by...
Archives of Toxicology
October 2002
Márcia Carvalho, Gabrielle Hawksworth, Nuno Milhazes et al.
The metabolism of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) has recently been implicated in the mechanisms underlying ecstasy-induced neurotoxicity and hepatotoxicity. However, its potential role in ecstasy-induced kidney toxicity has yet to be investigated. Thus, primary cultures of rat and human renal proximal tubular cells (PTCs) were used to investigate the cytotoxicity induced by...
Neuroscience Letters
September 27, 2002
Werner J Schmidt, Andreas Mayerhofer, Anja Meyer et al.
Parkinson's disease is due to a dopamine deficiency caused by the degeneration of midbrain dopamine neurons. Current therapies are aimed to substitute dopamine or to directly stimulate postsynaptic dopamine receptors. However, not all patients profit from current therapies to the same extent, even serious side effects such as dyskinesias are complicating the therapy. Therefore, there is still a...
Neuroscience Letters
September 27, 2002
Anja Meyer, Andreas Mayerhofer, Karl‐artur Kovar et al.
3,4-methylenedioxy-methylamphetamine (MDMA) ('Ecstasy') and its analogue 3,4-methylenedioxy-methylamphetamine (MDE) ('Eve') are well known illicit street drugs mainly abused by young people. In spite of the actual research going on, the classification of their abuse potential remains unclear. Since secondary reinforcers are the main factors responsible for craving and relapse, the aim of our...
Science
September 27, 2002
George A. Ricaurte, Jie Yuan, George Hatzidimitriou et al.
179 citations
Retracted
The prevailing view is that the popular recreational drug (±)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, or “ecstasy”) is a selective serotonin neurotoxin in animals and possibly in humans. Nonhuman primates exposed to several sequential doses of MDMA, a regimen modeled after one used by humans, developed severe brain dopaminergic neurotoxicity, in addition to less pronounced serotonergic...
Synapse
September 5, 2002
Liesbeth Reneman, Jan Booij, Jan B. A. Habraken et al.
33 citations
Abstract Recent [ 123 I]β‐CIT single‐photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) studies revealed decreased serotonin transporters (SERT) density in the brain of humans with a history of MDMA (“Ecstasy”) use. However, [ 123 I]β‐CIT SPECT has until now not been validated as a method for detecting such serotonergic lesions. Therefore, the present study was undertaken. Following baseline [ 123...
British Journal of Pharmacology
August 1, 2002
Daniela Braida, Mariaelvina Sala
64 citations
I.c.v. self‐administration of MDMA (0.01–2 μg per infusion), alone and in combination with CP 55,940 (0.4 μg infusion −1 ), was studied on an operant responding procedure. On the basis of individual preference for one of two levers, developed during training, rats were allowed to self‐administer vehicle from the preferred lever and MDMA from the other. Pressings on the MDMA associated‐lever,...
The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry
August 1, 2002
Samantha R. Gross, Sean P. Barrett, John S. Shestowsky et al.
97 citations
Objective: This study investigates the drug consumption patterns of a sample of rave attendees in the city of Montreal, Quebec, and seeks to identify the prevalence of 3,4-methylendioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and other drug use in this population. Method: We administered a self-report questionnaire to 210 respondents. For various licit and illicit substances, participants reported their age of...
Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental
July 12, 2002
A. C. Parrott, Tom Buchanan, Andrew Scholey et al.
163 citations
Abstract Rationale The recreational use of MDMA/Ecstasy (3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is associated with many psychobiological problems, but there is a paucity of data on how these relate to the level of past use. Objectives: to assess the incidence of Ecstasy‐attributed problems as reported by novice, moderate and heavy users. Methods: 763 unpaid volunteers took part in a WWW study of...
Pharmacology & Toxicology
July 2002
Marco Gesi, Paola Soldani, Paola Lenzi et al.
The acute toxicity induced by 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine appears as rabdomyolysis involving the myocardium (myocytolysis) and it is often suspected to be responsible for sudden death. In line with this, cardiac symptoms such as tachycardia, hypertension, and arrhythmia are present in persons abusing ecstasy. In most cases, ecstasy is abused in loud noise, which in itself might affect the...
The Quarterly journal of medicine
July 1, 2002
T. K. Hartung
122 citations
MDMA can cause life-threatening hyponatraemic encephalopathy when accompanied by excessive fluid ingestion. The mechanism involves inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2002
Karen Mcelrath, Kieran McEvoy
56 citations
Similar to other sociological studies of Ecstasy use, the authors' research suggests that Ecstasy users tend to report positive effects of the drug. However, we also observed that most users experienced at least one adverse psychological outcome while using Ecstasy. The present study examines those negative experiences within the context of drug, set and setting. Data were collected through...
American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy
June 1, 2002
Kelly M. Smith, Lisa L. Larive, Frank Romanelli
226 citations
The abuse of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), flunitrazepam, ketamine hydrochloride, and gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is discussed. Club drugs are chemical substances used recreationally in social settings. Use is increasingly frequent among young people, especially during all-night dance parties. All four agents have been classified as controlled substances. MDMA ("ecstasy") is available...
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
June 1, 2002
Jerrold S. Meyer, Syed F. Ali
25 citations
A bstract : The abused drug 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) damages fine serotonergic fibers and nerve terminals in adult organisms; however, developing animals seem less susceptible to this effect. One proposed hypothesis is that neonates are less sensitive to MDMA neurotoxicity because they fail to show drug‐induced hyperthermia. We tested this hypothesis by producing hyperthermia in...
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
June 1, 2002
B. Gough, Syed Z. Imam, Bruce E. Blough et al.
47 citations
A bstract : Paramethoxyamphetamine (PMA) is a methoxylated phenethylamine derivative that has been used illicitly in Australia since 1994. PMA is also becoming popular at rave parties in the United States. PMA raised concern when a series of fatalities resulted after its use in South Australia, where it was marketed as “ecstasy,” which is the colloquial name for MDMA. In the present study, we...
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
June 1, 2002
Roberta Pacifici, Piergiorgio Zuccaro, Magı́ Farré et al.
58 citations
A bstract : Acute administration of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “ecstasy”) produces time‐dependent immune dysfunction in humans. Recreational use of MDMA generally includes repeated drug consumption, often in association with other drugs, such as alcohol and cannabis. In the laboratory setting, repeated MDMA administration to healthy MDMA consumers produced a time‐dependent immune...
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
June 1, 2002
John K. Fallon, Dhwanil Shah, Andrew T. Kicman et al.
54 citations
A bstract : 3,4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) has been reported to cause hyponatraemia, which appears to result from inappropriate secretion of the antidiuretic hormone arginine vasopressin (AVP). After administration of a low dose of ( R,S )‐MDMA (40 mg) to eight healthy drug‐free male volunteers, concentrations of AVP in plasma increased significantly at 1, 2, and 4 hours. Although no...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2002
Rick Doblin
98 citations
The FDA and the Spanish Ministry of Health have concluded that the risk/benefit ratio is favorable under certain circumstances for clinical studies investigating MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. Both agencies have approved pilot studies in chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients who have failed to obtain relief from at least one course of conventional treatment. These studies, the...