title: Prefrontal N-acetylaspartate is strongly associated with memory performance in (abstinent) ecstasy users: preliminary report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "Ecstasy") is known to damage brain serotonin neurons in animals and possibly humans. Because serotonergic damage may adversely affect memory, we compared verbal memory function between MDMA users and MDMA-naïve control subjects and evaluated the relationship between verbal memory function and neuronal dysfunction in the MDMA users.
  
  
  METHODS
  An auditory verbal memory task (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test) was used to study eight abstinent MDMA users and seven control subjects. In addition 1H-MRS was used in different brain regions of all MDMA users to measure N-acetylaspartate/creatine (NAA/Cr) ratios, a marker for neuronal viability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MDMA users recalled significantly fewer words than control subjects on delayed (p =.03) but not immediate recall (p =.08). In MDMA users, delayed memory function was strongly associated with NAA/Cr only in the prefrontal cortex (R(2) =.76, p =.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Greater decrements in memory function predicted lower NAA/Cr levels-and by inference greater neuronal dysfunction-in the prefrontal cortex of MDMA users.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Neurosciences, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Academic Medical Center, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reneman
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Majoie
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schmand
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: van den Brink
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: den Heeten
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000737:chemistry*; D018490:Serotonin Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D018490:Serotonin Agents; D001224:Aspartic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine