M. Demirkiran et al., ECSTASY INTOXICATION - AN OVERLAP BETWEEN SEROTONIN SYNDROME AND NEUROLEPTIC MALIGNANT SYNDROME, Clinical neuropharmacology, 19(2), 1996, pp. 157-164
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), also known as ''ecstasy'' is
a popular recreational drug with potential for abuse. Although its ne
urotoxic effects have been established in animal studies, the acute an
d longterm effects of this serotonergic agent in humans are still unkn
own. We describe a 19-year-old woman with overlapping symptoms of neur
oleptic malignant syndrome and serotonin syndrome after a single expos
ure to MDMA. We also review 15 other cases reported in the literature
to draw attention to the serious neurotoxicity, including fatal outcom
es, caused by the use of this increasingly popular, illicit drug.