Comment · Thu, December 27, 2012

What are the symptoms of repeated MDMA use in a short period of time?

Original post in this thread

TheChessDragon · 9 points

Everyone always talks about how neurotoxic it is but never describes what happens as a result of that.

What they were answering

Direct reply to the original post — see the thread post above.

u/MisterYouAreSoDumb

That is a complex answer. You can experience emotional issues, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, etc. Don't let people fool you into thinking there is no evidence for cognitive decline due to MDMA use in humans. THERE IS!

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I'm going to copy some links Toodlum posted a while back, because I am too lazy to retype them:

Here's one that found a reduction in SERT in former ecstasy users

Here's another one that had similar results

Here's one that noted "long-lasting changes in brain function consistent with 5-HT toxicity"

Here's one that found decreased serotonin binding in users

Here's one that found long-term effects effects on central neuronal activity in humans

Here's one that found a long-lasting increase in cortical excitability in former users

These are studies that included neuroimaging on human users. This is important because researchers can physically SEE the alterations, UNLIKE the study quoted in this thread.

More studies have found LONG-TERM damage as well. Let me direct you to a few more:

Here's one that found reduced cortical SERT binding in former users after months of abstinence

Here's one that found NO improvement in verbal memory in former users 2.5 years of abstinence

Here's one that found long lasting serotonin system impairment in former users

Evidence from human studies has accumulated more slowly, but it is becoming apparent that the toxic effect of MDMA on central serotonergic systems found previously in animal studies has a clear parallel in human users of the drug.There is now direct evidence of a lasting decrease in 5-HT uptake sites (a marker for the integrity of 5-HT nerve terminals) in human volunteers with a past history of MDMA abuse

Here's the source

This meta-study found CLEAR evidence of neurocognitive decline in former MDMA users and clearly states there is DIRECT evidence for neurotoxicity.

Here's one from Hong Kong that found abstinent users were impaired in memory, verbal fluency, and complex attention

Here's one that found that even a small, first dose of ecstasy can cause a decline in verbal memory

Here's another that found memory impairments and the researchers believe it is directly caused by Serotonergic neurotoxicty

Here's one that found memory impairments in abstinent users and evidence of PFC dysfunction

Here's one that found a direct relationship between amount of usage and amount of declarative memory deficit

Here's one that found that heavy users had a weaker blood oxygenation level-dependent response during a working memory task

And not all evidence is limited to just serotonin axons and the SERT. Evidence exists that MDMA damages vital brain structures as well.

Here's one that found hippocampal damage in chronic users

This study found that the hippocampus in MDMA users literally shrinks. The hippocampus is implemented in mnemonic function. And I feel the need to point out that Alzheimer's patients also demonstrate hippocampal atrophy!

Here's one that found diminished hippocampal activation during memory retrieval

Speaking of the hippocampus, here's a case report of a 16 year old who suffered "hippocampal remodelling" after low to moderate use.

Here's one that found toxic effects on the thalamus

What are the symptoms of repeated MDMA use in a short period of time?

Other MYASD lines in this thread

Related in the archive

Research Suggests no Neurotoxicity in MDMA

Which substance, in your opinion, is the hardest to remember what happened afterwards? Also, what is your best blackout story?

MDMA Neurotoxicity Part 1 (Metabolites)

Experts: 5 Signs Your Teen Could Be Using Club Drug 'Molly' - This is one of the dumbest articles I've read in a long time.

How fucked am I r/drugs?

Man 'took 40,000 ecstasy tablets' - Doctors have revealed details of the biggest recorded user of ecstasy - a man estimated to have taken 40,000 ecstasy pills in his life.