Cognitive performance in recreational users of MDMA or 'ecstasy': evidence for memory deficits
Journal of Psychopharmacology – January 01, 1998
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Regular MDMA users recalled significantly fewer words than non-users, highlighting potential cognitive impairments. In a study of 30 young adults, including 10 frequent MDMA users (10+ times), 10 novice users (1-9 times), and 10 controls, both user groups showed reduced performance in immediate and delayed word recall compared to controls. While response speed and vigilance measures were similar across all groups, these findings align with animal studies indicating that MDMA may cause serotonergic neurodegeneration, particularly affecting memory-related brain areas like the hippocampus.
Abstract
Cognitive task performance was assessed in three groups of young people: 10 regular users of 3,4- methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) who had taken 'ecstasy' 10 times or more; 10 novice MDMA users who had taken 'ecstasy' one to nine times; and 10 control subjects who had never taken MDMA. A computerized battery of cognitive tasks (Cognitive Drug Research system) was undertaken on a day when subjects were drug free. Performance on the response speed and vigilance measures (simple reaction time, choice reaction time, number vigilance), was similar across the three subgroups. However on immediate word recall and delayed word recall, both groups of MDMA users recalled significantly less words than controls. Animal research has shown that MDMA can lead to serotonergic neurodegeneration, particularly in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. Although the design of this study was far from ideal, these data are consistent with other findings of memory decrements in recreational MDMA users, possibly caused by serotonergic neurotoxicity.