Enantio-selective cognitive and brain activation effects of N-ethyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine in humans

In a randomised double-blind trial the subjective, neuropsychological and b rain activation effects of the two enantiomers of the MDMA (ecstasy-) like drug N-ethyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (NIDE) were studied in five norm al subjects using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). (S)-MDE pro duced elevated mood, impairments in conceptually driven cognition and marke d right frontal activation. In contrast, (R)-MDE produced increased depress ion, enhanced visual feature processing, and activation of visual cortical and left frontal areas. Plasma concentrations were higher for the (R)-enant iomer. The so-called entactogenic effects of MDE are likely to be caused by the (S)-enantiomer, whereas (R)-MDE appears to be responsible for neurotox ic effects. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.