In the brain of a chronic MDMA user, serotonin and its metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were depleted by 50 to 80% in the striatum, while dopamine levels remained normal. This suggests that MDMA exposure can reduce serotonin stores in the human brain, and some behavioral effects of the drug may result from massive release and depletion of serotonin.
Hair analysis of 21 people who requested only ecstasy from their supplier found that 19 had MDMA in their hair, but 8 also had amphetamine or methamphetamine, and 7 had levels of the MDMA metabolite MDA equal to or greater than MDMA itself, indicating use of MDA in addition to MDMA. These additional amphetamine derivatives may be included by clandestine laboratories to enhance effects or because MDA synthesis is perceived as simpler. Drug users and researchers studying possible brain neurotoxic effects of MDMA must consider that ecstasy tablets can contain MDA and methamphetamine despite no demand for those drugs.
A confirmatory method using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS-MS) with an internal ionization ion trap detector can detect and quantify lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in urine. After a single-step solid-phase extraction of 5 mL of urine, underivatized LSD is measured with limits of quantitation and detection of 80 and 20 pg/mL, respectively. Temperature-programmed on-column injections show linearity over 20-2000 pg/mL (r² = 0.999). Intraday and interday coefficients of variation are below 6% and 13%, respectively. The method has been applied to quality-control specimens and LSD-positive samples, with comparisons to alternative GC-MS methods and extraction procedures.