Level of use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or Ecstasy) in humans correlates with EEG power and coherence

Abstract

Alpha power has been shown to be inversely related to mental function and has been used as an indirect measure of brain activation in both normal and abnormal states. Reduced coherence levels have been associated with dysfunctional connectivity in the brain in disorders such as dementia, white-matter disease and normal aging. Our results may indicate altered brain function correlated with prior MDMA use, and show that electroencephalography may be a cheap and effective tool for examining neurotoxic effects of MDMA and other drugs.

Previous exposure to (±) 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine produces long-lasting alteration in limbic brain excitability measured by electroencephalogram spectrum analysis, brain metabolism and seizure susceptibility

“…These persistent EEG abnormalities never disappeared throughout the whole period of observation (up to 8 weeks). Altogether, these EEG abnormalities are consistent with long-lasting EEG slow frequencies described in humans chronically abusing MDMA, which have been related to the cognitive impairment often observed in these subjects (Bolla et al, 1998;Dafters et al, 1999;Gamma et al, 2000;Bhattachary and Powell, 2001).…”

“…MDMA has an unpredictable toxicity with a number of short-and long-term side effects (Kalant, 2001). Among these, long-term MDMA users develop persistent electroencephalographic (EEG) changes with a long-lasting correlation between prior MDMA abuse and EEG power in the alpha frequency band (8 -12 Hz) (Dafters et al, 1999;Gamma et al, 2000). Altered EEG is also substantiated by the occurrence of epileptic seizures as the most common neurological sequela in ecstasy abusers admitted to neurological emergency (Zagnoni and Albano, 2002;Ben-Abraham et al, 2003).…”

Reward-related decision-making deficits and elevated impulsivity among MDMA and other drug users

“…MDMA users also exhibit a range of executive impairments, including deficient spatial working memory (e.g., Hanson and Luciana, 2004;Wareing et al, 2004), verbal fluency (e.g., Bhattachary and Powell, 2001;Fox et al, 2002;Heffernan et al, 2001), and planning and problem solving (e.g., Dafters et al, 1999;Fox et al, 2001;Schifano et al, 1998). Speedaccuracy tradeoffs suggest that impulsivity may play a role (Halpern et al, 2004;Morgan et al, 2002).…”

Functional Consequences of Repeated (±)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) Treatment in Rhesus Monkeys

“…Additional evidence suggests that the degree of memory impairment in the MDMA user is positively correlated with the number of cumulative exposures to MDMA (Bolla et al 1998;Parrott and Lasky 1998). Finally, recent studies have demonstrated that electroencephalographic and metabolic (PET) measures of brain function are altered in MDMA users (Dafters et al 1999; …”

“…Additional evidence suggests that the degree of memory impairment in the MDMA user is positively correlated with the number of cumulative exposures to MDMA (Bolla et al 1998;Parrott and Lasky 1998). Finally, recent studies have demonstrated that electroencephalographic and metabolic (PET) measures of brain function are altered in MDMA users (Dafters et al 1999;Gamma et al 2000;Obrocki et al 1999). Although the cognitive findings are mostly consistent in the available studies of human MDMA users, the utility of such data is limited by several factors including the subjects' exposure to other drugs of abuse, lack of controlled exposure to MDMA and the difficulty of assessing subtle brain pathology in living human subjects.…”