Prefrontal N-acetylaspartate is strongly associated with memory performance in (abstinent) ecstasy users: Preliminary report

Background: 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "Ecstasy") is known to damage brain serotonin neurons in animals and possibly humans. Because s erotonergic damage may adversely affect memory, we compared verbal memory f unction between MDMA users and MDMA-naive control subjects and evaluated th e relationship between verbal memory function and neuronal dysfunction in t he MDMA users. Methods: An auditory verbal memory task (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test) was used to study eight abstinent MDMA users and seven control subjects. I n addition H-1-MRS was used in different brain regions of all MDMA users to measure N-acetylaspartate/creatine (NAA/Cr) ratios, a marker for neuronal viability. Results: The MDMA users recalled significantly fewer words than control sub jects on delayed (p = .03) but not immediate recall (p = .08). In MDMA user s, delayed memory function was strongly associated with NAA/Cr only in the prefrontal cortex (R-2 = .76, p = .01). Conclusions: Greater decrements in memory function predicted lower NAA/Cr l evels-and by inference greater neuronal dysfunction-in the prefrontal corte x of MDMA users. Biol Psychiatry 2001;50:550-554 (C) 2001 Society of Biolog ical Psychiatry.