3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or Ecstasy) is a widely abused drug. In brains of mice exposed to MDMA, we recently detected altered expression of several cDNAs and genes by using the differential display polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Expression of one such cDNA, which exhibited 98% sequence homology with the synaptic vesicle protein synaptotagmin IV, decreased 2 h after MDMA ...

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; 'Ecstasy') is a psychostimulant drug producing heightened mood and facilitated social communication. In animal studies, MDMA effects are primarily mediated by serotonin (5-HT), but also by dopamine (DA) and possibly noradrenaline (NA). In humans, however, the neurochemical and neurophysiological basis of acute MDMA effects remains unknown. The distributi...

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "Ecstasy") is a widely abused, psychoactive recreational drug. There is growing evidence that the MDMA neurotoxic profile may be highly dependent on both its hepatic metabolism and body temperature. Metabolism of MDMA involves N-demethylation to 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), which is also a drug of abuse. MDMA and MDA are O-demethylenated to N-m...

BACKGROUND Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, or 'Ecstasy') is a growingly popular recreational drug of abuse that is known to damage brain serotonergic neurons in animals and possibly humans. Few functional consequences of MDMA-induced serotonin neurotoxicity have been identified, either in animals or humans. This study sought to determine whether individuals with a history of MDMA use showe...

Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; "Ecstasy") is a popular recreational drug and brain serotonin (5-HT) neurotoxin. Neuroimaging data indicate that some human MDMA users develop persistent deficits in brain 5-HT neuronal markers. Although the consequences of MDMA-induced 5-HT neurotoxicity are not fully understood, abstinent MDMA users have been found to have subtle cognitive deficits and alt...

(+/-)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'Ecstasy') is a brain serotonergic neurotoxin in experimental animals, including nonhuman primates. It is also an increasingly popular recreational drug of abuse, and doses of MDMA that are used recreationally overlap with those that produce serotonin (5-HT) neurotoxicity in animals. Studies in human MDMA users probing for evidence of brain serotone...

Ecstasy normally contains 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) that increases the levels of serotonin, dopamine, and epinephrine in the central nervous system with consequent adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. Herein, we presented a case of ecstasy abuse which resulted in two episodes myocardial infarction during a three month period; the second episode led to death due to thromb...

Background The popular recreational abuse drug 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'Ecstasy') produces acute and long-lasting deficits in several markers of the serotonergic (5-HT) system. BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor) is a prominent trophic factor of serotonergic fibers. The aim of this study was to characterize the damage of serotonergic fibers in the frontoparietal cortex and...

BACKGROUND 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "Ecstasy") is known to damage brain serotonin neurons in animals and possibly humans. Because serotonergic damage may adversely affect memory, we compared verbal memory function between MDMA users and MDMA-naïve control subjects and evaluated the relationship between verbal memory function and neuronal dysfunction in the MDMA users. METHOD...