Neurocognitive impairments in MDMA and other drug   users: MDMA alone may not be a cognitive risk factor.
BACKGROUND
MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine; "Ecstasy") is an amphetamine derivative with mild hallucinogenic and stimulant qualities. MDMA leads to serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) neurotoxicity and has been linked to cognitive impairments. It remains unclear whether these impairments are due to MDMA versus other drug use.


METHODS
Neurocognitive functioning was measured in a sample of abstinent polydrug users (n = 52) with a range of MDMA use and healthy nondrug controls (n = 29). Participants completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery and self-report measures of drug use.


RESULTS
Polydrug users performed worse than controls on spatial span and spatial working memory (ps < .05). Among polydrug users, lifetime marijuana use significantly predicted verbal learning and memory performance (p < .01), while MDMA use was not predictive of cognitive impairment.


CONCLUSIONS
This study and our previous report (Hanson, Luciana, & Sullwold, 2008) suggest that moderate MDMA use does not lead to persistent impairments above and beyond that associated with generally heavy drug use, but polydrug use may lead to dose-related temporal and frontoparietal dysfunction. Marijuana use may be particularly problematic. Cause-effect relations are unclear.
Hanson
Karen L
KL
Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA. klhanson@ucsd.edu
Luciana
Monica
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology*; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
D006213:Hallucinogens; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine