Ecstasy--long-term effects on the human central nervous system revealed by positron emission tomography.

Abstract

The main psychotropic agent of the popular illicit drug ecstasy is 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). In the light of animal studies and examinations of human cerebrospinal fluid, MDMA is suspected of causing neurotoxic lesions to the serotonergic system. To postulate a relationship between ecstasy use and lasting alterations to the cerebral glucose metabolic rate. Positron emission tomography (PET) with 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) was performed on seven ecstasy users and seven subjects without any known history of illicit drug use. Data were compared for a limited number of brain regions. By comparison with the control group, the glucose metabolic uptake of the ecstasy user group was altered within the amygdala, hippocampus and Brodmann's area II. The results suggest the possibility that ecstasy use has lasting effects on central neuronal activity in humans.