Positron emission tomographic evidence of toxic effect of MDMA (“Ecstasy”) on brain serotonin neurons in human beings
The Lancet October 1, 1998 Ud Mccann, Z Szabò, Ursula Scheffel et al. 664 citations
Using positron emission tomography (PET) with a ligand that selectively binds to serotonin transporters, researchers found direct evidence of a decrease in a structural component of brain serotonin neurons in people who use MDMA (ecstasy). This suggests MDMA use may damage or reduce serotonin neurons in the living human brain.