MDMA (ecstasy) causes a strong increase in blood oxytocin levels and enhances feelings of prosociality in healthy people. The changes in prosocial feelings are more closely tied to changes in oxytocin than to changes in MDMA concentration in the blood. This suggests that oxytocin release may be a key mechanism behind the drug's characteristic social effects.
Taking MDMA and ethanol together does not worsen the effects of either drug alone. While the impairment caused by each drug condition was relatively moderate, all drug conditions significantly impaired cognitive function.