title: Memory disturbances in "Ecstasy" users are correlated with an altered brain serotonin neurotransmission.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is known to damage brain pre-synaptic serotonin (5-HT) neurons. Since loss of 5-HT neurons has been implicated in memory loss, it is important to establish whether MDMA use may produce changes in postsynaptic 5-HT receptors and memory function in humans.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether MDMA use leads to compensative alterations in post-synaptic 5-HT2A receptors and whether there is a relation with memory disturbances.
  
  
  METHODS
  Brain cortical 5-HT2A receptor densities were studied with [123I]-5-I-R91150 SPECT in five abstinent MDMA users and nine healthy controls. Memory performance was assessed using RAVLT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  [123I]-5-I-R91150 binding ratios were significantly higher in the occipital cortex of MDMA users than in controls, indicating up-regulation. Mean cortical 5-HT2A receptor binding correlated positively with RAVLT-recall in MDMA users.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our preliminary results may indicate altered 5-HT neuronal function with correlated memory impairment in abstinent MDMA users.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Neurosciences, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. l.reneman@amc.uva.nl
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reneman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Booij
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schmand
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: van den Brink
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gunning
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010880:Piperidines / Q000378:metabolism; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000032:analysis; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
chemical_list: D010880:Piperidines; C105020:R 91150; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D012701:Serotonin; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine