PMID- 24648791
OWN - NLM
STAT- PubMed-not-MEDLINE
DCOM- 20140624
LR  - 20220408
IS  - 1179-8467 (Print)
IS  - 1179-8467 (Electronic)
IS  - 1179-8467 (Linking)
VI  - 4
DP  - 2013
TI  - 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA): current perspectives.
PG  - 83-99
LID - 10.2147/SAR.S37258 [doi]
AB  - Ecstasy is a widely used recreational drug that usually consists primarily of 
      3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Most ecstasy users consume other 
      substances as well, which complicates the interpretation of research in this 
      field. The positively rated effects of MDMA consumption include euphoria, 
      arousal, enhanced mood, increased sociability, and heightened perceptions; some 
      common adverse reactions are nausea, headache, tachycardia, bruxism, and trismus. 
      Lowering of mood is an aftereffect that is sometimes reported from 2 to 5 days 
      after a session of ecstasy use. The acute effects of MDMA in ecstasy users have 
      been attributed primarily to increased release and inhibited reuptake of 
      serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine, along with possible release of the 
      neuropeptide oxytocin. Repeated or high-dose MDMA/ecstasy use has been associated 
      with tolerance, depressive symptomatology, and persisting cognitive deficits, 
      particularly in memory tests. Animal studies have demonstrated that high doses of 
      MDMA can lead to long-term decreases in forebrain 5-HT concentrations, tryptophan 
      hydroxylase activity, serotonin transporter (SERT) expression, and visualization 
      of axons immunoreactive for 5-HT or SERT. These neurotoxic effects may reflect 
      either a drug-induced degeneration of serotonergic fibers or a long-lasting 
      downregulation in 5-HT and SERT biosynthesis. Possible neurotoxicity in heavy 
      ecstasy users has been revealed by neuroimaging studies showing reduced SERT 
      binding and increased 5-HT2A receptor binding in several cortical and/or 
      subcortical areas. MDMA overdose or use with certain other drugs can also cause 
      severe morbidity and even death. Repeated use of MDMA may lead to dose escalation 
      and the development of dependence, although such dependence is usually not as 
      profound as is seen with many other drugs of abuse. MDMA/ecstasy-dependent 
      patients are treated with standard addiction programs, since there are no 
      specific programs for this substance and no proven medications. Finally, even 
      though MDMA is listed as a Schedule I compound by the Drug Enforcement Agency, 
      MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for patients with chronic, treatment-resistant 
      posttraumatic stress disorder is currently under investigation. Initial results 
      show efficacy for this treatment approach, although considerably more research 
      must be performed to confirm such efficacy and to ensure that the benefits of 
      MDMA-assisted therapy outweigh the risks to the patients.
FAU - Meyer, Jerrold S
AU  - Meyer JS
AD  - Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behavior Program, University of 
      Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Review
DEP - 20131121
PL  - New Zealand
TA  - Subst Abuse Rehabil
JT  - Substance abuse and rehabilitation
JID - 101558476
PMC - PMC3931692
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - MDMA
OT  - PTSD
OT  - cognition
OT  - dependence
OT  - ecstasy
OT  - mood
OT  - neurotoxicity
EDAT- 2013/01/01 00:00
MHDA- 2013/01/01 00:01
PMCR- 2013/11/21
CRDT- 2014/03/21 06:00
PHST- 2014/03/21 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2013/01/01 00:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2013/01/01 00:01 [medline]
PHST- 2013/11/21 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - sar-4-083 [pii]
AID - 10.2147/SAR.S37258 [doi]
PST - epublish
SO  - Subst Abuse Rehabil. 2013 Nov 21;4:83-99. doi: 10.2147/SAR.S37258. eCollection 
      2013.