RETRACTED: Severe Dopaminergic Neurotoxicity in Primates After a Common Recreational Dose Regimen of MDMA ("Ecstasy")

The recreational drug MDMA (ecstasy) is widely believed to selectively damage serotonin neurons in animals and possibly humans. However, nonhuman primates given several sequential doses of MDMA—a pattern similar to human use—developed severe damage to brain dopamine neurons, along with milder serotonin damage. This dopamine loss was linked to increased vulnerability to movement problems. The findings suggest that recreational MDMA users may unknowingly risk developing neuropsychiatric disorders related to dopamine or serotonin deficiency, either as young adults or later in life.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The prevailing view is that the popular recreational drug (±)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, or “ecstasy”) is a selective serotonin neurotoxin in animals and possibly in humans. Nonhuman primates exposed to several sequential doses of MDMA, a regimen modeled after one used by humans, developed severe brain dopaminergic neurotoxicity, in addition to less pronounced serotonergic neurotoxicity. MDMA neurotoxicity was associated with increased vulnerability to motor dysfunction secondary to dopamine depletion. These results have implications for mechanisms of MDMA neurotoxicity and suggest that recreational MDMA users may unwittingly be putting themselves at risk, either as young adults or later in life, for developing neuropsychiatric disorders related to brain dopamine and/or serotonin deficiency.