Memory performance in polyvalent MDMA (ecstasy) users who continue or discontinue MDMA use.
BACKGROUND
The popular dance drug ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine=MDMA) is a serotonergic neurotoxin in animal studies. Several cross-sectional investigations reported low memory and learning performance in ecstasy users, particularly in those reporting heavy patterns of drug use. Since, serotonin has a recognized role in memory processes, these findings were mostly interpreted as evidence for ecstasy-related neurotoxicity in humans. However, studies with user populations and controls suffer from many inherent methodological problems. Moreover, longitudinal data on memory performance after continued or discontinued ecstasy use are scarce.


METHODS
In the present longitudinal study, we examined memory performance in 38 MDMA users over the course of 18 months.


RESULTS
Subjects who stopped MDMA use after the baseline examination (n=17) did not improve, and subjects who continued MDMA use (n=21) did not deteriorate in terms of test performance.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data do not support, but they also do not rule out memory decline following use of the serotonergic neurotoxin MDMA. In light of the popularity of ecstasy among young people, further investigations are needed. In our view, research strategies should now move to prospective designs in order to shed more light on the course of possible adverse cognitive effects of ecstasy use.
Gouzoulis-Mayfrank
Euphrosyne
E
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, D-50924 Cologne, Germany. e.gouzoulis@uni-koeln.de
Fischermann
Thomas
T
Rezk
Markus
M
Thimm
Bastian
B
Hensen
Gernot
G
Daumann
Joerg
J
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*
D006213:Hallucinogens; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine