PMID- 27681116
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20180103
LR  - 20180228
IS  - 1473-5849 (Electronic)
IS  - 0955-8810 (Linking)
VI  - 27
IP  - 8
DP  - 2016 Dec
TI  - Oxytocin, cortisol and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine: neurohormonal aspects 
      of recreational 'ecstasy'.
PG  - 649-658
AB  - Most research into 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) has debated its 
      psychobiological effects in relation to neurotransmission. This article debates 
      the contributory roles of the neurohormones oxytocin and cortisol for their 
      psychobiological effects in humans. The empirical literature on these 
      neurohormones is reviewed and suggestions for future research outlined. Acute 
      MDMA or 'ecstasy' can generate increased levels of oxytocin and cortisol, and 
      these neurohormonal changes may be important for its mood-enhancing and 
      energy-activation effects in humans. However, an initial finding of enhanced 
      sociability correlating with oxytocin levels has not been replicated. Potential 
      reasons are debated. There may be dynamic interactions between the two 
      neurohormones, with greater activation under cortisol, facilitating stronger 
      positive feelings under oxytocin. Chronic regular use of MDMA can adversely 
      affect cortisol in several ways. Regular users show increased cortisol in 3-month 
      hair samples, changes to the cortisol awakening response, and indications of 
      greater daily stress. Furthermore, these cortisol findings suggest changes to the 
      hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. The effects of chronic MDMA usage on 
      oxytocin still need to be investigated. It is concluded that the neurohormones 
      oxytocin and cortisol contribute in various ways to the psychobiological effects 
      of recreational ecstasy/MDMA.
FAU - Parrott, Andrew C
AU  - Parrott AC
AD  - aDepartment of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, UK bCentre for 
      Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Review
PL  - England
TA  - Behav Pharmacol
JT  - Behavioural pharmacology
JID - 9013016
RN  - 0 (Hallucinogens)
RN  - 50-56-6 (Oxytocin)
RN  - KE1SEN21RM (N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine)
RN  - WI4X0X7BPJ (Hydrocortisone)
SB  - IM
MH  - Animals
MH  - Hallucinogens/administration & dosage/adverse effects/pharmacology
MH  - Humans
MH  - Hydrocortisone/*metabolism
MH  - Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System/drug effects/metabolism
MH  - N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine/administration & dosage/adverse 
      effects/*pharmacology
MH  - Oxytocin/*metabolism
MH  - Pituitary-Adrenal System/drug effects/metabolism
MH  - Stress, Psychological/metabolism
EDAT- 2016/11/02 06:00
MHDA- 2018/01/04 06:00
CRDT- 2016/09/30 06:00
PHST- 2016/11/02 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2018/01/04 06:00 [medline]
PHST- 2016/09/30 06:00 [entrez]
AID - 10.1097/FBP.0000000000000262 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Behav Pharmacol. 2016 Dec;27(8):649-658. doi: 10.1097/FBP.0000000000000262.