Brain serotonin transporter binding in former users of MDMA ('ecstasy').
BACKGROUND: Animal experimental studies have prompted concerns that widespread use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; 'ecstasy') by young people may pose a major public health problem in terms of persistent serotonin neurotoxicity. AIMS: To determine the status of brain serotonin...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2009
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| _version_ | 1797090491692482560 |
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| author | Selvaraj, S Hoshi, R Bhagwagar, Z Murthy, N Hinz, R Cowen, P Curran, H Grasby, P |
| author_facet | Selvaraj, S Hoshi, R Bhagwagar, Z Murthy, N Hinz, R Cowen, P Curran, H Grasby, P |
| author_sort | Selvaraj, S |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | BACKGROUND: Animal experimental studies have prompted concerns that widespread use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; 'ecstasy') by young people may pose a major public health problem in terms of persistent serotonin neurotoxicity. AIMS: To determine the status of brain serotonin neurons in a group of abstinent MDMA users. METHOD: We assessed the integrity of brain serotonin neurons by measuring serotonin transporter (SERT) binding using positron emission tomography (PET) and [(11)C]DASB in 12 former MDMA users, 9 polydrug users who had never taken MDMA and 19 controls who reported no history of illicit drug use. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the binding potential of [(11)C]DASB between the groups in any of the brain regions examined. CONCLUSIONS: To the extent that [(11)C]DASB binding provides an index of the integrity of serotonin neurons, our findings suggest that MDMA use may not result in long-term damage to serotonin neurons when used recreationally in humans. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T03:19:23Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:b6eb105c-4cfe-4531-b03a-e773b433dae3 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T03:19:23Z |
| publishDate | 2009 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:b6eb105c-4cfe-4531-b03a-e773b433dae32022-03-27T04:44:32ZBrain serotonin transporter binding in former users of MDMA ('ecstasy').Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:b6eb105c-4cfe-4531-b03a-e773b433dae3EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2009Selvaraj, SHoshi, RBhagwagar, ZMurthy, NHinz, RCowen, PCurran, HGrasby, P BACKGROUND: Animal experimental studies have prompted concerns that widespread use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; 'ecstasy') by young people may pose a major public health problem in terms of persistent serotonin neurotoxicity. AIMS: To determine the status of brain serotonin neurons in a group of abstinent MDMA users. METHOD: We assessed the integrity of brain serotonin neurons by measuring serotonin transporter (SERT) binding using positron emission tomography (PET) and [(11)C]DASB in 12 former MDMA users, 9 polydrug users who had never taken MDMA and 19 controls who reported no history of illicit drug use. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the binding potential of [(11)C]DASB between the groups in any of the brain regions examined. CONCLUSIONS: To the extent that [(11)C]DASB binding provides an index of the integrity of serotonin neurons, our findings suggest that MDMA use may not result in long-term damage to serotonin neurons when used recreationally in humans. |
| spellingShingle | Selvaraj, S Hoshi, R Bhagwagar, Z Murthy, N Hinz, R Cowen, P Curran, H Grasby, P Brain serotonin transporter binding in former users of MDMA ('ecstasy'). |
| title | Brain serotonin transporter binding in former users of MDMA ('ecstasy'). |
| title_full | Brain serotonin transporter binding in former users of MDMA ('ecstasy'). |
| title_fullStr | Brain serotonin transporter binding in former users of MDMA ('ecstasy'). |
| title_full_unstemmed | Brain serotonin transporter binding in former users of MDMA ('ecstasy'). |
| title_short | Brain serotonin transporter binding in former users of MDMA ('ecstasy'). |
| title_sort | brain serotonin transporter binding in former users of mdma ecstasy |
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