Neurotoxicity of Ecstasy (MDMA): An Overview
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology June 27, 2010 Sumit Sarkar, Larry Schmued 63 citations
MDMA (ecstasy) is a hallucinogenic drug with high abuse potential that can cause neurotoxicity in both humans and laboratory animals. In rats and mice, MDMA reduces serotonin levels in cortical axon terminals and can degenerate neurons in brain areas including the insular and parietal cortex, thalamus, tenia tecta, and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Acute effects include arrhythmias, hypertension, hyperthermia, serotonin syndrome, liver problems, seizures, and long-lasting mood and cognitive impairments. In human abusers, serotonergic biochemical markers are reduced. Hyperthermia is a key factor in MDMA-induced neurotoxicity, along with dopamine and serotonin metabolism, nitric oxide generation, glutamate excitotoxicity, serotonin 2A receptor activation, and toxic metabolites.