POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE OF TOXIC EFFECT OF MDMA (ECSTASY) ON BRAIN-SEROTONIN NEURONS IN HUMAN-BEINGS

Background. (+/-)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; ''Ecstasy'') is, a popular recreational drug that selectively damages brain. serot onin (5-HT) neurons in animals at doses' that closely approach those u sed by humans. We investigated the status of brain 5-HT neurons in MDM A users. Methods We enrolled 14 previous users of MDMA who were curren tly abstaining from use and 15 controls who had never used MDMA. We us ed positron emission tomography (PET) with the radioligand carbon-11-l abelled McN-5652, which selectively labels the 5-HT transporter. We an alysed whether there were differences in 5-HT transporter binding betw een abstinent MDMA users and participants in the control group. Blood and urine samples were taken and tested to check for abstinence. Findi ngs MDMA users showed decreased global and regional brain BHT transpor ter binding compared with controls. Decreases in 5-HT transporter bind ing positively correlated with the extent of previous MDMA use. Interp retation Quantitative PET studies with a ligand selective for 5-HT tra nsporters can be used to assess the status of 5-HT neurons in the livi ng human brain. We show direct evidence of a decrease in a structural component of brain 5-HT neurons in human MDMA users.