title: Enantio-selective cognitive and brain activation effects of N-ethyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine in humans.
abstract: In a randomised double-blind trial the subjective, neuropsychological and brain activation effects of the two enantiomers of the MDMA (ecstasy-) like drug N-ethyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDE) were studied in five normal subjects using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). (S)-MDE produced elevated mood, impairments in conceptually driven cognition and marked right frontal activation. In contrast, (R)-MDE produced increased depression, enhanced visual feature processing, and activation of visual cortical and left frontal areas. Plasma concentrations were higher for the (R)-enantiomer. The so-called entactogenic effects of MDE are likely to be caused by the (S)-enantiomer, whereas (R)-MDE appears to be responsible for neurotoxic effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulm, Leimgrubenweg 12-14, D-89075 Ulm, Germany. manfred.spitzer@medizin.uni-ulm.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spitzer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Franke
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buechler
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Wunderlich
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwab
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kovar
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hermle
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grön
mesh_terms: D015104:3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D015104:3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine; C051800:3,4-methylenedioxyethamphetamine