Neuropharmacology and Neurotoxicity of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine

With the continuing and increasing popularity of the amphetamine analog 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy) as a drug of abuse, concern also has increased regarding the long-term psychological and neurochemical effects of this drug. The acute psychological effects of MDMA include a mild sense of euphoria and sense of well being and increased ability to interact with others (1 ) which contribute to the drug’s popularity. Recent studies in laboratory animals and humans indicate that repeated exposure to MDMA elicits long-term changes in neurochemistry and behavior that are viewed as resulting from a selective neurotoxicity of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-containing axon terminals.