EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1998 For more information contact: Julie Gilbert (651) 695-2763 [email protected]
Ecstasy Drug Users May Damage Memory
ST. PAUL, MN (December 21, 1998) ñ Taking the illegal drug Ecstasy may cause memory damage, according to a study in the December issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
By studying cerebral spinal fluid, researchers found that Ecstasy can damage neurons in the brain which produce serotonin. Serotonin regulates memory as well as mood, pain perception, sleep, appetite and sexual activity.
ìEcstasy is a popular recreational drug and itÃs important for people to know the risks involved in taking it,î said study author Karen Bolla, PhD, of Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, MD. ìOur study shows that Ecstasy can be associated with memory damage."
Ecstasy is structurally related to the hallucinogen mescaline and the stimulant amphetamine. The drug is known chemically as methylenedioxymethamphetamine or MDMA. Users report an increased awareness of emotion and heightened sense of intimacy.
Researchers studied 24 Ecstasy users and 24 individuals who had never used the drug. The average Ecstasy user took 440 milligrams of the drug per month for five years. Researchers classified those who took more than 400 milligrams per month as heavy users. (Each caplet has 100 milligrams.)
In order to participate in the study, Ecstasy users had to be drug free for two weeks prior to the study to prevent drug withdrawal symptoms from affecting results.
ìTests show that heavy Ecstasy users have damage to their visual and verbal memory,î said study co-author George Ricaurte, MD, PhD, also of Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. Visual memory allows a person to recall objects that were viewed earlier. Verbal memory is the ability to remember information that was heard, such as a list that was read aloud or a song on the radio.
Not all heavy users of Ecstasy are affected the same. Women are less susceptible than men, according to researchers. Hormonal differences between men and women may have a role in this phenomenon.
Ecstasy is popular at ìraves,î the late-night, music parties that attract hundreds to thousands of young adults. According to a recent survey in the United States, approximately 2.3 percent of college students and 4.3 percent of young adults (19 to 28 years) used Ecstasy at least once in the past year.
This study is a part of a larger clinical research project designed to assess the long-term effects of Ecstasy use. Research was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 15,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research.
-end-
RSS