Altered Insula Connectivity under MDMA.
Ishan C Walpola, Timothy Nest, Leor Roseman, David Erritzøe, Amanda Feilding, David J Nutt, Robin L Carhart-Harris
Neuropsychopharmacology February 14, 2017 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.35 via PubMed Central
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractMDMA (100 mg) reduces functional connectivity between the right insula and the salience network in the brain, indicating a disintegration of this network. This decrease in connectivity correlates with higher baseline trait anxiety and more intense acute experiences of altered bodily sensations under the drug. The findings suggest that insular disintegration is a neurobiological signature of the MDMA experience, linking the drug's effects on brain activity to individual differences in anxiety and bodily awareness.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Randomized, double-blind, repeated-measures design Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 25 |
| Population | Healthy volunteers |
| Intervention | MDMA-HCl |
| Dose | 100 mg p.o. |
| Keywords | MDMA Research MDMA Studies Ecstasy research Psychedelic research Drug research |
| Citations | 50 |
| Key finding | MDMA decreases right insula/salience network functional connectivity, and this decrease correlates with baseline trait anxiety and acute altered bodily sensations. |
Abstract
Recent work with noninvasive human brain imaging has started to investigate the effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on large-scale patterns of brain activity. MDMA, a potent monoamine-releaser with particularly pronounced serotonin- releasing properties, has unique subjective effects that include: marked positive mood, pleasant/unusual bodily sensations and pro-social, empathic feelings. However, the neurobiological basis for these effects is not properly understood, and the present analysis sought to address this knowledge gap. To do this, we administered MDMA-HCl (100 mg p.o.) and, separately, placebo (ascorbic acid) in a randomized, double-blind, repeated-measures design with twenty-five healthy volunteers undergoing fMRI scanning. We then employed a measure of global resting-state functional brain connectivity and follow-up seed-to-voxel analysis to the fMRI data we acquired. Results revealed decreased right insula/salience network functional connectivity under MDMA. Furthermore, these decreases in right insula/salience network connectivity correlated with baseline trait anxiety and acute experiences of altered bodily sensations under MDMA. The present findings highlight insular disintegration (ie, compromised salience network membership) as a neurobiological signature of the MDMA experience, and relate this brain effect to trait anxiety and acutely altered bodily sensations-both of which are known to be associated with insular functioning.