Psychopathological, neuroendocrine and autonomic effects of 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDE), psilocybin and d -methamphetamine in healthy volunteers
Psychopharmacology February 18, 1999 Euphrosyne Gouzoulis‐mayfrank, B. Thelen, Elmar Habermeyer et al. 145 citations
A double-blind study with 32 healthy volunteers compared the effects of the entactogen MDE (a drug similar to ecstasy), the hallucinogen psilocybin, the stimulant d-methamphetamine, and a placebo. MDE produced pleasant emotional experiences such as relaxation, peacefulness, contentment, and closeness to others, along with stimulant and mild hallucinogen-like effects. It caused the strongest endocrine and autonomic responses among the three drugs, including rises in cortisol, prolactin, blood pressure, heart rate, and a moderate increase in body temperature. The contrast between subjective relaxation and physical activation was unique to MDE. Results support entactogens as a distinct class between hallucinogens and stimulants.