Comment · Sat, November 10, 2012
Research Suggests no Neurotoxicity in MDMA
Original post in this thread
PuffyCheek · 194 points
In partial response to what I've been reading in the bestof'd thread here at /drugs, I think it would be good to start a discussion about the neurotoxicity in MDMA.
I feel as if the harmful effects discussed in the thread were overblown. According to a research done by the Harvard Medical School last year in 2011, users who were asked to use MDMA under a controlled setting over a certain period of time showed no signs of cognitive impairment nor decreased mental ability.
So the question remains, why do we have so much evidence from past research studies that show otherwise? The researchers at Harvard Medical School responded by saying that past research studies lacked a proper control environment. What that means is that past research studies did not control their test group to make sure they didn't engage in unhealthy activities after ingesting MDMA (i.e. going to a rave and dancing for 8 hours straight).
No research since 2011 has proved Harvard Medical School's conclusion wrong, that MDMA is actually harmful to your brain. No other research studies that I could personally find had settings as controlled as the one conducted by HMS.
That being said, research was done…
What they were answering
cazbot · 10 points
Good sourcing, proper interpretation of the data.
Another scientist here.
I don't think anything with Ricaurte's name on it qualifies as a "good source". While I'm not saying his entire body of work should be disqualified, it does deserve a higher degree of skepticism.
****http://www.maps.org/publications/1998_scheffel_1.pdf
Remember kids, always do your own QC checks on vital reagents from custom suppliers. Basic good lab practice.
u/MisterYouAreSoDumb
Damn right, don't take my word for it. Research! Their MDMA methamphetamine mix up was irresponsible. However, the mechanisms I am speaking to are well known, and have been studied a lot. I always err on the side of caution. So if I am making MDMA seem more neurotoxic than it is, GOOD! Perhaps it will scare some of those that currently blow it off as perfectly safe.