Neuropsychiatric Alterations in MDMA Users: Preliminary Findings

People who use MDMA (ecstasy) show distinct brain changes compared to those who use only marijuana or no drugs. In a study of eight MDMA users, eight users of both MDMA and marijuana, fifteen marijuana-only users, and seventeen non-user controls, electroencephalography (EEG) recordings revealed that MDMA users had significantly higher absolute delta wave power at central electrode sites, a pattern not seen in the other groups. Marijuana-only users showed increases in alpha-2 power. Blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral arteries, measured by transcranial Doppler, was higher in MDMA users regardless of marijuana use. These brain changes, similar to those seen in chronic disorders, suggest MDMA may cause long-term neurological harm, though more research is needed.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The use of marijuana is rampant among 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) users. The co-occurrence of abuse of these two drugs has made it difficult to assess the specific residual effects of MDMA alone. As a first step toward identifying the effects of long-term MDMA use, we studied 8 MDMA abusers, 8 marijuana/MDMA abusers, 15 marijuana abusers (matched in marijuana use without MDMA use), and 17 control subjects. EEG, cerebral blood velocity by pulsed transcranial Doppler (TCD), and psychological measures were collected. Three-minute resting eyes-closed EEG recordings were obtained from 16 electrodes. The EEG was converted to 6 frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha-1, alpha-2, beta-1, and beta-2) using a fast Fourier transformation. Blood flow velocity was determined using a temporal window for the right and left middle cerebral arteries using TCD. Absolute log delta power in the EEG of MDMA abusers at central electrode sites was significantly higher than that of the MDMA/marijuana, marijuana abusers, and control subjects. There were also increases in alpha-2 EEG power observed only in marijuana abusers. The blood flow measure, diastolic velocity, was increased in MDMA abusers whether they used marijuana or not. Because increases in delta power and perfusion deficits are associated with some chronic disorders, our findings in these ecstasy abusers suggest that MDMA use may be associated with a drug-induced neuropathological state. More research is necessary to test these ideas.