The Psychological and Physiological Effects of MDMA on Normal Volunteers
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs October 1, 1986 Joseph J. Downing 227 citations
In a controlled study, participants who were older, more educated, and more experienced with drugs than the general population reported benefiting from MDMA use with no evidence of harm. Moderate biochemical, cardiovascular, and neurobehavioral changes peaked one to two hours after ingestion and returned to predrug levels within 24 hours. No psychological or physiological damage was observed during the study or a three-month follow-up. The findings support the impression that MDMA is reasonably safe, produces positive mood changes, and shows no evidence of abuse when used sparingly. However, the authors caution that long-term toxicity cannot be assessed from a 24-hour study and three-month blood cytology, and insufficient evidence exists to accurately judge the drug's potential harm or benefit.