BACKGROUND: The use of MDMA ('ecstasy') is common among young people in Western countries. Animal models of MDMA toxicity suggest a loss of serotonergic neurons, and potentially implicate in the development of significant psychiatric morbidity in humans. AIMS: To test whether long-term use of MDMA can produce abnormalities in cerebral serotonin, but not dopamine, transporter binding measured by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). METHOD: Ten male regular ecstasy users and 10 well-matched controls recruited from the same community sources participated in SPECT with the serotonin transporter (SERT) ligand [123I] beta-CIT. Dopamine transporter binding was determined from scans acquired 23 hours after injection of the tracer. RESULTS: Ecstasy users showed a cortical reduction of SERT binding, particularly prominent in primary sensory-motor cortex, with normal dopamine transporter binding in lenticular nuclei. CONCLUSIONS: This cross-sectional association study provides suggestive evidence for specific, at least temporary, serotonergic neurotoxicity of MDMA in humans.
BACKGROUND: The use of MDMA ('ecstasy') is common among young people in Western countries. Animal models of MDMA toxicity suggest a loss of serotonergic neurons, and potentially implicate in the development of significant psychiatric morbidity in humans. AIMS: To test whether long-term use of MDMA can produce abnormalities in cerebral serotonin, but not dopamine, transporter binding measured by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). METHOD: Ten male regular ecstasy users and 10 well-matched controls recruited from the same community sources participated in SPECT with the serotonin transporter (SERT) ligand [123I] beta-CIT. Dopamine transporter binding was determined from scans acquired 23 hours after injection of the tracer. RESULTS:Ecstasy users showed a cortical reduction of SERT binding, particularly prominent in primary sensory-motor cortex, with normal dopamine transporter binding in lenticular nuclei. CONCLUSIONS: This cross-sectional association study provides suggestive evidence for specific, at least temporary, serotonergic neurotoxicity of MDMA in humans.
Authors: Christina R Di Iorio; Tristan J Watkins; Mary S Dietrich; Aize Cao; Jennifer U Blackford; Baxter Rogers; Mohammed S Ansari; Ronald M Baldwin; Rui Li; Robert M Kessler; Ronald M Salomon; Margaret Benningfield; Ronald L Cowan Journal: Arch Gen Psychiatry Date: 2011-12-05
Authors: Maartje M L De Win; Gerry Jager; Hylke K E Vervaeke; Thelma Schilt; Liesbeth Reneman; Jan Booij; Frank C Verhulst; Gerard J Den Heeten; Nick F Ramsey; Dirk J Korf; Wim Van den Brink Journal: Int J Methods Psychiatr Res Date: 2005 Impact factor: 4.035
Authors: Ronald L Cowan; Nicolas R Bolo; Mary Dietrich; Erica Haga; Scott E Lukas; Perry F Renshaw Journal: Psychiatry Res Date: 2007-06-18 Impact factor: 3.222