Memory and mood during the night and in the morning after repeated evening doses of MDMA
Journal of Psychopharmacology – February 28, 2008
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Evening doses of MDMA significantly impair memory performance, compounding the effects of sleep deprivation. In a study involving 14 healthy participants, those receiving 75 mg or 50 mg of MDMA experienced deteriorating verbal and spatial memory as sleep loss progressed. Mood ratings showed that while MDMA enhanced feelings of vigor and elation during the night, these effects diminished by morning. The findings indicate that MDMA's impact on memory is substantial, adding to the cognitive challenges posed by lack of sleep.
Abstract
Previously it has been shown that MDMA causes memory impairment during daytime testing. However, MDMA is usually taken in the evening or during the night. In addition, it is known that sleep deprivation also causes memory impairment. The present study aimed to assess whether evening doses of MDMA added to, or interacted with the memory impairment due to sleep deprivation. Fourteen healthy subjects participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-way cross-over study. Treatments consisted of MDMA 75 and 50 mg divided over the evening or double placebo. Memory tests and subjective measures of mood were conducted at baseline and three times post dosing that is at 6.30 pm, 9.30 pm, 1.30 am and 7 am, respectively —1.5, 1.5, 5.5 and 11 h relative to drug intake (first dose). Memory performance detoriated progessively over time as a function of sleep loss, independent of treatment. MDMA added to this impairment as indicated by a significant main effect of MDMA on verbal and spatial memory performance. Mood ratings and response speed revealed an MDMA by Time interaction. After administration of MDMA response speed improved and feelings of vigor, friendliness, elation, anxiety, confusion, arousal and positive mood increased in magnitude during the night, while all these parameters returned to placebo-like levels on the final morning session. It is concluded that evening doses of MDMA selectively impair memory performance, and that this impairment is additional to the effect of sleep deprivation on memory performance.