Memory and mood during the night and in the morning after repeated evening doses of MDMA
Journal of Psychopharmacology February 28, 2008 KPC Kuypers, M. Wingen, Jg Ramaekers 28 citations
Memory performance worsens progressively overnight due to sleep loss, and taking MDMA (ecstasy) in the evening adds to that impairment. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study with 14 healthy adults, MDMA (75 mg and 50 mg split over the evening) caused additional deficits in verbal and spatial memory beyond those from sleep deprivation alone. During the night, MDMA improved response speed and increased feelings of vigor, friendliness, elation, anxiety, confusion, arousal, and positive mood, but these effects returned to placebo-like levels by morning. Evening MDMA selectively impairs memory, and this harm is separate from and adds to the memory impairment caused by sleep deprivation.