(-) MDMA (0.3, 1.0, or 1.7 mg/kg) at 9 or 16 h (3 h before "lights off"). Morning treatments had no effects on sleep-like parameters. Racemic MDMA decreased general daytime activity during the first hour after injection and increased daytime activity at 3 hr posttreatment. Although afternoon administration of racemic MDMA increased sleep latency, it improved other sleep parameters, decreasing...
Ecstasy/3,4 Methylenedioxymethamphetamine is a popular recreational drug that is a potent indirect monoaminergic agonist that has structural similarities to mescaline and amphetamine. It is presumed that interfering with regulatory serotonin signalling with chronic ecstasy use may result in psychobiological harm. This chapter reviews evidence from studies assessing mood, cognition, pain, sleep...
Since the 1980s, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) has been a popular recreational drug, used particularly among those who attend raves and nightclubs. Over the past 3 years, the popularity of this drug has once again increased and there has been an associated rise in deaths. The pathophysiology of MDMA toxicity is complex and much remains to be understood. This article aims to increase...
MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of PTSD has recently progressed to Phase 3 clinical trials and received Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA. MDMA used as an adjunct during psychotherapy sessions has demonstrated effectiveness and acceptable safety in reducing PTSD symptoms in Phase 2 trials, with durable remission of PTSD diagnosis in 68% of participants. The underlying...
The research literature on MDMA (ecstasy/molly) use has largely relied on samples of ravers/club-goers, gay men, and international populations (e.g., United Kingdom, Australia). As a result, very little is known about MDMA use among African Americans. This study aimed to address this gap by adding to the limited amount of research with this population. The goal of this study was to identify and...
Published online at: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30170-6 Eligible users can access the full text via NHS OpenAthens at [https://www.clinicalkey.com/#!/content/journal/1-s2.0-S2215036618301706] (login required).
The abuse of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), a psychedelic drug, can lead to a variety of disorders in neural system, including the death of retinal neural cells. MDMA at lower doses does not cause obvious cytotoxicity to photoreceptor cells, indicating potential indirect mechanisms which have not yet been elucidated. This study investigated the effect of MDMA at nontoxic...
In this report, we describe a case of a patient with substance-induced anxiety disorder occurring after a single dose of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine. Furthermore, we describe the use and efficacy of the Primary Care Behavioral Health model, a collaborative approach to integrative primary mental health care, in evaluating and treating this rare mental health disorder. Three days following...
BACKGROUND: Neuroimaging studies imply that the regular use of ±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), the major constituent of ecstasy pills, alters the brain's serotonergic system in a dose-dependent manner. However, the relevance of these findings remains unclear due to limited knowledge about the ecstasy/MDMA use pattern of real-life users. AIMS: We examined the representativeness of...
NeuroscienceMay 1, 2018Francesca Romana Rizzo, Mauro Federici, Nicola Biagio Mercuri
An increase of extracellular dopamine (DA) has been implicated in the psychostimulant properties of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Although this drug has been reported to affect the DA uptake transporter (DAT), it might activate other mechanisms to regulate the outflow of DA in the brain. Our aim was to examine the overall effects of MDMA on the release of DA in the striatum. We...
Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is prevalent in military personnel and first responders, many of whom do not respond to currently available treatments. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy for treating chronic PTSD in this population. Methods: We did a randomised, double-blind, dose-response,...
Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) refer to synthetic compounds or derivatives of more widely known substances of abuse that have emerged over the last two decades. Case reports suggest that users combine substances to achieve desired psychotropic experiences while reducing dysphoria and unpleasant somatic effects. However, the pattern of combining NPS has not been studied on a large scale....
Hyperpyrexia is a well-documented adverse effect of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and is associated with a poor prognosis. There are currently limited published records of patients surviving a pyrexia of or greater than 43°C after MDMA intake. Rapid cooling and multiorgan support in an intensive care setting may offer patients the best chance of recovery. We present the case of a...
Human and octopus lineages are separated by over 500 million years of evolution, and show divergent anatomical patterns of brain organization. Moreover, while humans exhibit highly complex social behaviors, octopuses are thought to be largely asocial and solitary. Despite these differences, growing evidence suggests that ancient neurotransmitter systems are shared across vertebrate and...
It is well documented that caffeine exacerbates the hyperthermia associated with acute exposure to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in rats. Previous reports have also indicated that MDMA-related enhancement of dopamine release is exacerbated in the presence of caffeine. In the present study we have examined whether the effects of MDMA on real-time stimulated dopamine release, in the...
BMJ Case ReportsApril 7, 2018Nonyelum Evangeline Obiechina, Ahrane Jayakumar, Yusra Khan et al.
MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) or 'Ecstasy' is an illicit drug frequently used by young people at parties and 'raves'. It is readily available in spite of the fact that it is illegal.1 It is perceived by a lot of young people as being 'harmless', but there have been a few high-profile deaths associated with its use.2 Known side effects of MDMA include hyperthermia, rhabdomyolysis,...
Abstract: According to the Zohar, the most important work of the classical Kabbalah, in prayer the soul of the mystic ascends through seven celestial halls or palaces as part of its quest to unify the male and female aspects of divinity, and thereby stimulates Ein Sof, the infinite aspect of divinity to pour down its bounty. As the soul ascends through the halls—diverse qualities of being,...
The empathogen 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is the prototypical prosocial club drug inducing emotional openness to others. It has recently been shown that acutely applied 3,4-MDMA in fact enhances emotional empathy and prosocial behavior, while it simultaneously decreases cognitive empathy. However, the long-term effects of 3,4-MDMA use on socio-cognitive functions and social...
MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a psychostimulant popular as a recreational drug because of its effect on mood and social interactions. MDMA acts at dopamine (DA) transporter (DAT) and serotonin (5-HT) transporter (SERT) and is known to induce damage of dopamine and serotonin neurons. MDMA is often ingested with caffeine. Caffeine as a non-selective adenosine A1/A2A receptor...
Recent data suggest that both nonmedical prescription drug and MDMA (ecstasy/molly) use have risen among African Americans. However, studies investigating these two forms of drug use among African Americans are rare. As a result, very little is known about African-American MDMA users and their nonmedical use of prescription medications. The primary goal of this study, therefore, was to describe...