Chemical cousins with contrasting behavioural profiles: MDMA users and methamphetamine users differ in social-cognitive functions and aggression.
European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology June 1, 2024 Amelie Zacher, Josua Zimmermann, David M Cole et al. 10 citations
Chronic methamphetamine users show diminished cognitive and emotional empathy toward positive stimuli, elevated punitive social behavior regardless of provocation, and heightened self-reported trait anger compared to non-users. Chronic MDMA users differ from controls only by displaying increased punitive behavior when provoked. Higher hair concentrations of both drugs may be linked to reduced cognitive empathy, and greater lifetime MDMA use correlates with more punitive behavior among MDMA users. The dopaminergic mechanism of methamphetamine may underlie social-cognitive deficits.