Cortisol and 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine: Neurohormonal Aspects of Bioenergetic Stress in Ecstasy Users
Neuropsychobiology January 1, 2009 A.c. Parrott 67 citations
MDMA (ecstasy) acutely raises cortisol, a stress hormone that regulates energy metabolism. In sedentary lab participants, cortisol increases about 150% after MDMA; in dancing clubbers, levels rise around 800% due to the drug plus physical exertion and social stimulation. Regular users show altered baseline cortisol and blunted stress responses, indicating compromised hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function. Cortisol affects memory, cognition, sleep, impulsivity, depression, and neuronal health—functions often impaired in ecstasy users. The hormone likely amplifies MDMA's acute stimulating effects and contributes to long-term functional and structural brain changes in chronic users.