Investigations on the effects of "Ecstasy" on cerebral glucose metabolism:an 18-FDG PET study

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to determine the acute effects of the "Ecstasy" analogue MDE (3, 4-methylendioxyethamphetamine) on the cereb ral glucose metabolism (rMRGlu) of healthy volunteers. Method: In a randomi sed double-blind trial, 16 healthy volunteers without a history of drug abu se were examined with 18-FDG PET 110-120 minutes after oral administration of 2 mg/kg MDE (n = 8) or placebo (n = 8). Beginning two minutes prior to r adiotracer injection, a constant cognitive stimulation was maintained for 3 2 minutes using a word repetition paradigm in order to ensure constant and comparable mental conditions during cerebral 18-FDG uptake. Individual brai n anatomy was represented using T1-weighted 3D flash MRI, followed by manua l regionalisation into 108 regions-of-interest and PET/MRI overlay. Absolut e quantification of rMRGlu and comparison of glucose metabolism under MDE v ersus placebo were performed using Mann-Whitney U-test. Results: Absolute g lobal MRGlu was not significantly changed under MDE versus placebo (MDE: 41 ,8 +/- 11,1 mu mol/min/100 g, placebo: 50,1 +/- 18,1 mu mol/min/100 g, p = 0,298). The normalised regional metabolic data showed a significantly decre ased rMRGlu in the bilateral frontal cortex:left frontal posterior (-7.1%, p <0.05) and right prefrontal superior (-4.6%, p <0.05). On the other hand, rMRGlu was significantly increased in the bilateral cerebellum (right: +10 .1%, p <0.05; left: +7.6%, p <0.05) and in the right putamen (+6.2%, p <0.0 5). Conclusions: The present study revealed acute neurometabolic changes un der the "Ecstasy" analogon MDE indicating a fronto-striato-cerebellar dysba lance with parallels to other psychotropic substances and various endogenou s psychoses respectively.