RATIONALE: Heavy ecstasy use in humans has been associated with cognitive impairments and changes in cognitive brain function supposedly due to damage to the serotonin system. There is concern that even a single dose of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine may be neurotoxic, but very little is known about the consequences of a low dose of ecstasy for cognitive brain function. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to assess the effects of a low dose of ecstasy on human cognitive brain function using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). MATERIALS AND METHOD: We prospectively studied, as part of the NeXT (Netherlands XTC toxicity) study, sustained effects of a low dose of ecstasy on brain function in 25 subjects before and after their first episode of ecstasy use (mean 2.0 +/- 1.4 ecstasy pills, on average 11.1 +/- 12.9 weeks since last ecstasy use), compared to 24 persistent ecstasy-naive controls, also measured twice and matched with the novice users on age, gender, IQ, and cannabis use. Cognitive brain function was measured in the domains of working memory, selective attention, and associative memory using fMRI. RESULTS: No significant effects were found of a low dose of ecstasy on working memory, selective attention, or associative memory neither at the behavioral level nor at the neurophysiological level. CONCLUSIONS: This study yielded no firm evidence for sustained effects of a low dose of ecstasy on human cognitive brain function. The present findings are relevant for the development of prevention and harm reduction strategies. Furthermore, the study is relevant to the discussion concerning potential therapeutic use of ecstasy.
RATIONALE: Heavy ecstasy use in humans has been associated with cognitive impairments and changes in cognitive brain function supposedly due to damage to the serotonin system. There is concern that even a single dose of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine may be neurotoxic, but very little is known about the consequences of a low dose of ecstasy for cognitive brain function. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to assess the effects of a low dose of ecstasy on humancognitive brain function using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). MATERIALS AND METHOD: We prospectively studied, as part of the NeXT (Netherlands XTCtoxicity) study, sustained effects of a low dose of ecstasy on brain function in 25 subjects before and after their first episode of ecstasy use (mean 2.0 +/- 1.4 ecstasy pills, on average 11.1 +/- 12.9 weeks since last ecstasy use), compared to 24 persistent ecstasy-naive controls, also measured twice and matched with the novice users on age, gender, IQ, and cannabis use. Cognitive brain function was measured in the domains of working memory, selective attention, and associative memory using fMRI. RESULTS: No significant effects were found of a low dose of ecstasy on working memory, selective attention, or associative memory neither at the behavioral level nor at the neurophysiological level. CONCLUSIONS: This study yielded no firm evidence for sustained effects of a low dose of ecstasy on humancognitive brain function. The present findings are relevant for the development of prevention and harm reduction strategies. Furthermore, the study is relevant to the discussion concerning potential therapeutic use of ecstasy.
Authors: Maartje M L de Win; Liesbeth Reneman; Gerry Jager; Erik-Jan P Vlieger; Sílvia D Olabarriaga; Cristina Lavini; Ivo Bisschops; Charles B L M Majoie; Jan Booij; Gerard J den Heeten; Wim van den Brink Journal: Neuropsychopharmacology Date: 2006-11-01 Impact factor: 7.853
Authors: A Richard Green; Annis O Mechan; J Martin Elliott; Esther O'Shea; M Isabel Colado Journal: Pharmacol Rev Date: 2003-07-17 Impact factor: 25.468
Authors: Gerry Jager; Maartje M L de Win; Ingeborg van der Tweel; Thelma Schilt; Rene S Kahn; Wim van den Brink; Jan M van Ree; Nick F Ramsey Journal: Neuropsychopharmacology Date: 2007-04-25 Impact factor: 7.853
Authors: Thelma Schilt; Maartje M L de Win; Maarten Koeter; Gerry Jager; Dirk J Korf; Wim van den Brink; Ben Schmand Journal: Arch Gen Psychiatry Date: 2007-06
Authors: John Karageorgiou; Mary S Dietrich; Evonne J Charboneau; Neil D Woodward; Jennifer U Blackford; Ronald M Salomon; Ronald L Cowan Journal: Neuroimage Date: 2009-03-02 Impact factor: 6.556
Authors: Hendrika H van Hell; Matthijs G Bossong; Gerry Jager; René S Kahn; Nick F Ramsey Journal: Int J Methods Psychiatr Res Date: 2011-03 Impact factor: 4.035
Authors: Ronald M Salomon; John Karageorgiou; Mary S Dietrich; Jessica Y McLellan; Evonne J Charboneau; Jennifer U Blackford; Ronald L Cowan Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2011-07-31 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: João Paulo Capela; Helena Carmo; Fernando Remião; Maria Lourdes Bastos; Andreas Meisel; Félix Carvalho Journal: Mol Neurobiol Date: 2009-04-17 Impact factor: 5.590
Authors: V Raj; H C Liang; N D Woodward; A L Bauernfeind; J Lee; M S Dietrich; S Park; R L Cowan Journal: J Psychopharmacol Date: 2009-03-20 Impact factor: 4.153
Authors: Allison A Feduccia; Lisa Jerome; Berra Yazar-Klosinski; Amy Emerson; Michael C Mithoefer; Rick Doblin Journal: Front Psychiatry Date: 2019-09-12 Impact factor: 4.157
Authors: Natasha E Wright; Judith A Strong; Erika R Gilbart; Skyler G Shollenbarger; Krista M Lisdahl Journal: PLoS One Date: 2015-07-31 Impact factor: 3.240