Cerebral activation in abstinent ecstasy (MDMA) users during a working memory task: a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study

Daumann, Jörg; Fimm, Bruno; Willmes, Klaus; Thron, A.; Gouzoulis-Mayfrank, Euphrosyne

doi:10.1016/s0926-6410(03)00075-2

Cited by 59 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…As reviewed previously (Cowan, 2007;Cowan et al, 2008a), previous studies employing more complex cognitive paradigms found a range of activation patterns following chronic MDMA exposure (Daumann et al, 2003(Daumann et al, , 2004(Daumann et al, , 2005Jager et al, 2008a, b;Jacobsen et al, 2004;Moeller et al, 2004). Subsequent studies have revealed a similarly mixed picture when using fMRI to examine brain activation during cognitive paradigms (Roberts et al, 2009).…”

Section: Relationship To Previous Findingsmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Despite this evidence for long-lasting brain effects, functional neuroimaging studies of human MDMA users have not found a consistent pattern of altered brain neurophysiology in association with MDMA exposure (Cowan, 2007;Cowan et al, 2008a;Daumann et al, 2003Daumann et al, , 2004Daumann et al, , 2005Jager et al, 2008a, b;Jacobsen et al, 2004;Moeller et al, 2004;Roberts et al, 2009;Raj et al, 2009). Several factors, including dose-response effects, polydrug effects, and task design, may account for the absence of a consistent neurophysiological effect of MDMA exposure in extant functional neuroimaging studies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Human Ecstasy Use is Associated with Increased Cortical Excitability: An fMRI Study

Bauernfeind

Dietrich

Blackford

et al. 2011

Neuropsychopharmacol

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The serotonergic neurotoxin, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA/Ecstasy), is a highly popular recreational drug. Human recreational MDMA users have neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric impairments, and human neuroimaging data are consistent with animal reports of serotonin neurotoxicity. However, functional neuroimaging studies have not found consistent effects of MDMA on brain neurophysiology in human users. Several lines of evidence suggest that studying MDMA effects in visual system might reveal the general cortical and subcortical neurophysiological consequences of MDMA use. We used 3 T functional magnetic resonance imaging during visual stimulation to compare visual system lateral geniculate nucleus ( There were no between-group differences in brain activation in any region, but the heaviest MDMA users showed a significantly greater spatial extent of activation than controls in BA 17 (p ¼ 0.031) and BA 18 (p ¼ 0.049). These results suggest that human recreational MDMA use may be associated with a long-lasting increase in cortical excitability, possibly through loss of serotonin input to cortical and subcortical regions. When considered in the context of previous results, cortical hyper-excitability may be a biomarker for MDMA-induced serotonin neurotoxicity.

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Section: Relationship To Previous Findingsmentioning

confidence: 92%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human Ecstasy Use is Associated with Increased Cortical Excitability: An fMRI Study

Bauernfeind

Dietrich

Blackford

et al. 2011

Neuropsychopharmacol

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“…There were also no group differences in CPT performance. Daumann et al (2003b) used fMRI at 1.5 T to examine working memory performance in MDMA users and One subject in each group had positive urine drug screens for THC d 10 MDMA users had drug-positive urine drug screens n.g. Not given, SD standard deviation, fMRI functional magnetic resonance imaging, T Tesla, FDG fluorodeoxyglucose, PET positron emission tomography, rCBF regional cerebral blood flow controls.…”

Section: Obrocki and Colleagues Used 2-[18f]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucomentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a separate report, Daumann et al (2003a) used the same methods as described above (Daumann et al 2003b) to compare eight "pure" MDMA users to eight MDMA polydrug users and eight drug naïve controls. "Pure" MDMA users were defined as those denying regular use of substances other than MDMA (regular substance use was defined as drug use at least once per month for over 6 months in the past 2 years).…”

Section: Working Memorymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, this definition of "pure" did not completely exclude other substances or heavy use of other drugs before the 2-year cutoff period. Seven subjects had participated in the prior study (Daumann et al 2003b). A single statistical threshold of p<0.001 was employed to compare task-induced regional brain activation by group at three levels of the n-back task.…”

Section: Working Memorymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Neuroimaging research in human MDMA users: a review

Cowan

2006

Psychopharmacology

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Rationale Determining whether, under what circumstances, and to what extent 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) exposure produces chronic changes in human brain function is a critical public health issue. MDMA is a widely used recreational drug commonly sold as "Ecstasy". Because findings from the animal literature have indicated that specific dosage regimens of MDMA can produce longlasting alterations in serotonergic function, existing studies of MDMA effects in humans have examined brain serotonin (5-HT) transporters (5-HTT) and receptors or have examined brain structures or functions potentially affected by MDMA. Objectives The objectives of this review are to provide a background for interpreting human MDMA neuroimaging research, to examine existing neuroimaging data regarding the rationale for and limitations to human MDMA research, and to provide suggestions for improving the design and interpretation of future neuroimaging approaches. Results Of the existing neuroimaging studies in human MDMA users, few experimental designs have been replicated across different research groups. Only investigations employing nuclear imaging methods to assay brain 5-HTT levels have been replicated across methods and research laboratories. These studies have found reduced levels of the 5-HTT in recently abstinent MDMA users with some evidence for normalization of 5-HTT levels with prolonged abstinence. However, the sensitivity of these methods is unknown.Conclusions The current state of neuroimaging in human MDMA users does not permit conclusions regarding the long-term effects of MDMA exposure. Future study designs might benefit from improved sample homogeneity, increased length of MDMA abstinence, longitudinal study design, test-retest measures, serotonergic specificity, and multimodal approaches.

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MDMA and Other “Club Drugs”

Colado

O’Shea

Green

2007

Handbook of Contemporary Neuropharmacology

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The use of the club drugs 3, 4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “ecstasy”), gamma‐hydroxybutyrate (GHB), flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), ketamine and LSD is a popular practice among young people especially during all‐night dance parties or “raves“ due to their ability to enhance social experiences and/or alter perception. These substances belong to different classes of drugs: MDMA is an amphetamine derived psychomotor stimulant, Rohypnol is a benzodiazepine, GHB and ketamine are anesthetic drugs while LSD is a hallucinogenic agent and therefore the immediate consequences of their abuse and intoxication can be very different. The long‐term consequences of the abuse of the different club drugs are of great concern. Animal studies indicate that MDMA causes long‐term 5‐HT damage and neuroimaging studies suggest this may also occur in humans. The development of addiction following the use of club drugs is also of concern since several of these drugs have been shown covers the most important aspects of the pharmacology of MDMA and the other club drugs and highlights some of the most important consequences of their abuse.

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Cerebral activation in abstinent ecstasy (MDMA) users during a working memory task: a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study

Cited by 59 publications

References 32 publications

Human Ecstasy Use is Associated with Increased Cortical Excitability: An fMRI Study

Human Ecstasy Use is Associated with Increased Cortical Excitability: An fMRI Study

Neuroimaging research in human MDMA users: a review

MDMA and Other “Club Drugs”

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