MDMA enhances emotional empathy and prosocial behavior
Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience – October 04, 2013
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, significantly enhances emotional empathy and prosocial behavior, particularly in men. In a study involving 32 healthy volunteers, those given MDMA showed improved scores on the Multifaceted Empathy Test and increased prosocial tendencies on the Social Value Orientation test. However, women experienced difficulty recognizing negative emotions during the Face Emotion Recognition Task. Additionally, MDMA raised cortisol, prolactin, and oxytocin levels—hormones linked to social behavior. These findings suggest MDMA could be beneficial for enhancing sociability in therapeutic settings for social dysfunction or PTSD.
Abstract
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'ecstasy') releases serotonin and norepinephrine. MDMA is reported to produce empathogenic and prosocial feelings. It is unknown whether MDMA in fact alters empathic concern and prosocial behavior. We investigated the acute effects of MDMA using the Multifaceted Empathy Test (MET), dynamic Face Emotion Recognition Task (FERT) and Social Value Orientation (SVO) test. We also assessed effects of MDMA on plasma levels of hormones involved in social behavior using a placebo-controlled, double-blind, random-order, cross-over design in 32 healthy volunteers (16 women). MDMA enhanced explicit and implicit emotional empathy in the MET and increased prosocial behavior in the SVO test in men. MDMA did not alter cognitive empathy in the MET but impaired the identification of negative emotions, including fearful, angry and sad faces, in the FERT, particularly in women. MDMA increased plasma levels of cortisol and prolactin, which are markers of serotonergic and noradrenergic activity, and of oxytocin, which has been associated with prosocial behavior. In summary, MDMA sex-specifically altered the recognition of emotions, emotional empathy and prosociality. These effects likely enhance sociability when MDMA is used recreationally and may be useful when MDMA is administered in conjunction with psychotherapy in patients with social dysfunction or post-traumatic stress disorder.