Ecstasy: The Clinical, Pharmacological and Neurotoxicological Effects of the Drug MDMA

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xv

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2. History of MDMA

   • Alexander T. Shulgin

   Pages 1-20

3. The Therapeutic Use of MDMA

   • George R. Greer, Requa Tolbert

   Pages 21-35

4. Testing Psychotherapies and Drug Therapies: The Case of Psychedelic Drugs

   • James B. Bakalar, Lester Grinspoon

   Pages 37-52

5. Recreational Use of MDMA

   • Stephen J. Peroutka

   Pages 53-62

6. Human Deaths and Toxic Reactions Attributed to MDMA and MDEA

   • Graeme P. Dowling

   Pages 63-75

7. The Public Health Implications of MDMA Use

   • Jerome Beck

   Pages 77-103

8. Structure-Activity Relationships of MDMA and Related Compounds: A New Class of Psychoactive Agents?

   • David F. Nichols, Robert Oberlender

   Pages 105-131

9. Neurochemical Effects of MDMA

   • James W. Gibb, Donna Stone, Michel Johnson, Glen R. Hanson

   Pages 133-150

10. Neurochemical Effects of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine in the Rat: Acute Versus Long-Term Changes

    • Christopher J. Schmidt, Vicki L. Taylor

    Pages 151-169

11. MDMA Effects in Brain: Pharmacologic Profile and Evidence of Neurotoxicity from Neurochemical and Autoradiographic Studies

    • George Battaglia, Robert Zaczek, Errol B. De Souza

    Pages 171-199

12. A Tissue Culture Model of MDMA Toxicity

    • Patrica M. Whitaker-Azmitia, Efrain C. Azmitia

    Pages 201-211

13. Effect of MDMA-Like Drugs on CNS Neuropeptide Systems

    • Glen R. Hanson, Kalpana M. Merchant, Michel Johnson, Anita A. Letter, Lloyd Bush, James W. Gibb

    Pages 213-224

14. Neuroendocrinological Effects of MDMA in the Rat

    • J. Frank Nash, Herbert Y. Meltzer

    Pages 225-239

15. Back Matter

    Pages 241-244

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The variety of viewpoints expressed in this book illustrate the many contro­ versies surrounding MDMA [1]. On the one hand, the proponents ofMDMA use believe this agent offers a unique psychoactive effect that may have important clinical applications, especially in the field of psychotherapy. On the other hand, the scientific data concerning the neurotoxic effects of the drug are unequivocal. The most striking feature of the human information of MDMA is the paucity of data that has been generated on the drug since it was patented in 1914. As pointed out by Beck (Chapter 6) and others, a clear need exists for better epidemiological and clinical data on MDMA. In the absence of such data, arguments both for and against the cotinued use ofMDMA with humans will be difficult to support. Unfortunately, the currently available data must be used to develop rational policies for potential human users of MDMA. At the present time, there are no data indicating that recreational doses of MDMA permanently damage the human brain. Nonetheless, based on a review of the contents of this book as well as on informal discussions with approximately 200 recreational users of MDMA, the following personal observations suggest that MDMA is radically different from other recreational drugs.

• CNS
• amphetamine
• brain
• clinical application
• drugs
• hand
• health
• neuropeptides
• neurotoxicity
• pharmacology
• psychotherapy
• relationships
• therapy
• tissue
• toxicity

• Stanford University Medical Center, USA

  Stephen J. Peroutka

Policies and ethics