MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine)

This publication examines whether Ecstasy (MDMA) is neurotoxic in humans and comprises research papers from a Novartis Foundation Discussion Meeting on this topic. Leading researchers from around the world were invited to debate this issue. Five speakers (George Ricaurte, Una McCann, Andy Parrott, Fabrizio Schifano, Valerie Curran) present review papers on the latest empirical data. These presentations show that repeated use of MDMA can cause prolonged neural damage in laboratory mammals, and outline the increasing body of evidence for MDMA-induced neurotoxicity in humans. Recreational Ecstasy users, assessed when drug-free, sometimes display the following deficits: reduced levels of serotonin metabolite 5-HIAA; PET scan indications of reduced serotonin axon-terminal density; selective cognitive deficits in tasks involving memory and higher executive processing; and various psychiatric disorders. Every participant at the discussion meeting was also invited to answer the core question in an abstract. The five invited papers together with all the abstracts, are presented here. This special issue, aimed at psychiatrists, psychologists and neurologists, summarizes the methodological problems and uncertainties in this field of research. Generally, it concludes that MDMA is not a safe drug, with many regular Ecstasy users suffering neuropsychobiological problems.