Scientific study has resulted in the general agreement that, although it is physically safe to try in a responsible context, the administration of repeated or high dosages of MDMA is most certainly neurotoxic in some form. There are some studies which suggest that long-term overuse and abuse of MDMA can cause or increase depression. Chronic, repeated use may cause problems similar to those of amphetamines, including dependence. MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is an amphetamine analog with stimulant and hallucinogenic effects.
Health risks
It was later retracted; instead of using MDMA, methamphetamine had been used in the test. It is thought that MDMA’s metabolites play a large role in the uncertain levels of neurotoxicity. For example, a metabolite of MDMA called alpha-Methyldopamine (α-Me-DA, which is known to be toxic to dopamine neurons7518) was thought believed to be involved in the toxicity of MDMA to serotonin receptors.
Effects
- Recently, the FDA designated MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD as a Breakthrough Therapy and ongoing MDMA studies can be found on clinicaltrials.gov.
- Users are advised to pay close attention to their water intake, drinking neither too much nor too little, and to take care not to overexert themselves to avoid heat-stroke, which can be fatal.
- If approved, this would be the first federally legal MDMA-assisted therapy and psychedelic-assisted therapy.
- In conjunction with psychotherapy, MDMA can help reduce PTSD symptoms, such as defensiveness and anxiety, while increasing relaxation and improving a person’s mood.
- Mithoefer’s study caught the attention of a group of military veterans, as PTSD is a common concern amongst veterans and is often highly treatment-resistant.
- Schedule I drugs have no official medical use and are highly addictive.
As with other stimulants, the chronic use of MDMA can be considered moderately addictive with a high potential for abuse and is capable of causing psychological dependence among certain users. wiki mdma When addiction has developed, cravings and withdrawal effects may occur if one suddenly stops their usage. “Severe dopaminergic neurotoxicity in primates after a common recreational dose regimen of MDMA”77 is an article by George A. Ricaurte which was published in September 2002 in the peer-reviewed journal Science, one of the world’s top academic journals.
Reinforcement disorders
MDMA was first synthesized by Merck, a German pharmaceutical company, back in 1912 as a medicine to control bleeding. The compound slipped into disuse and fell off the radar until the late ‘70s, when a group of underground psychotherapists investigating psychedelic therapy stumbled across it. MDMA became increasingly popular in their underground therapy sessions; these trailblazing psychotherapists found it helped patients to open up and achieve insights into their problems. MDMA exerts a unique set of effects on the brain that enable it to treat diverse mental illnesses, such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. While it shares characteristics with other psychedelic compounds, it differs in some ways too. In the United Kingdom, MDMA was made illegal in 1977 by a modification order to the existing Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
Users may take several tablets at once or in succession over a period of time. Abusers may also use in conjunction with other psychoactive drugs like LSD. As with many other “party drugs”, ecstasy is rarely used alone and it is frequently combined with alcohol and marijuana.
Reagent results
The agency justified this decision based upon data showing that frequent high doses of MDA, which is a related compound of MDMA, induced serotonergic nerve terminal degeneration in rat brains. The DEA placed MDMA on the list of Schedule I drugs – those with a high potential for abuse and no accepted use for medical treatment in the United States. Since the mid-2000s, there have been several ecstasy-related deaths at high-profile electronic dance music festivals, including Electric Daisy Carnival and Electric Zoo. Many of these deaths have been attributed to the drug’s ability to cause overheating. Even pure MDMA may have side effects including increased heart rate, blurred vision, nausea, faintness, chills, and muscle tension.
- It is the most well-known and widely-used member of the entactogens, a diverse group that includes MDA, methylone, 4-MMC, and 6-APB.
- MDMA is legally controlled in most of the world under the UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances and other international agreements, although exceptions exist for research and limited medical use.
- While you can still find Molly in the club, these days, MDMA is experiencing a reinvention as a medicine for mental health disorders.
- This effect can be lessened by relaxing, but can also be relieved by placing a hot flannel over the genitals to encourage blood flow.6869 However, MDMA causes water retention and dilution of electrolytes.
- It is important to keep an eye on body temperature and hydration while under the effects of MDMA.
- Over the past decade, illegally made opioids like fentanyl have been increasingly found in the drug supply, and have contributed to a dramatic rise in drug overdose deaths in the United States.
MDMA is a synthesized compound that begins with the precursor safrole—an oily liquid extracted from the sassafras tree’s bark or fruit, which is native to North America and Asia. Through a number of different chemical formulations, safrole can be synthesized into MDMA. The final product delivers a euphoric high that usually kicks in within 45 minutes and lasts 3-6 hours.
It is typically sold illicitly as colorful tablets with imprinted logos, capsules, powder, or liquid. Some researchers and organizations consider MDMA to be a psychedelic drug because it can also mildly alter visual and time perception. MDMA’s effects may include feeling more energetic and alert and having an increased sense of well-being, warmth, and openness toward others. This effect can be lessened by relaxing, but can also be relieved by placing a hot flannel over the genitals to encourage blood flow.6869 However, MDMA causes water retention and dilution of electrolytes.
Neurotoxicity, by Borax
In 2017, MAPS won breakthrough approval from the FDA for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). MDMA is illegal, and there are reports that it can have negative health effects. MDMA is a drug that’s commonly thought of as a party drug and is known for producing feelings of pleasure, energy, and positive emotion, along with altered sensory perception. Other drugs in this chemical group include methamphetamine and cathinone. Current regulations have classed MDMA as a Schedule 1 controlled substance. This means that it’s thought to have a high potential to be abused and that it’s not legally considered to have health benefits.
MDMA exhibits cross-tolerance with all dopaminergic and serotonergic stimulants, meaning that after the consumption of MDMA all stimulants will have a reduced effect. In rare cases MDMA can cause seizures, overheating, hypothermia, dehydration or water poisoning. It is important to keep an eye on body temperature and hydration while under the effects of MDMA. See this article and this article about clinical research into medical uses for MDMA. Dr Bronner’s has generously donated, though millions more in funding is needed.