MDMA Neurotoxicity: New Data, New Risk Analysis

Readers of the MAPS newsletter may have come across recent articles in the media claiming that new evidence shows that MDMA may cause permanent and potentially harmful brain changes even in typical recreational doses. As in most other news reports involving research about illegal drugs, the stories oversimplified the scientific findings, took data out of context, exaggerated the dangers, and ignored possible counter-balancing benefits. This article reviews the latest study from Dr. Ricaurte and associates at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutes (Fischer et al. 1995)(1) as well as some earlier findings. The best available data regarding MDMA neurotoxicity reveals a picture that is neither as simple nor as frightening as these recent news reports would have you believe.