Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

[Grand mal series after Ecstasy abuse].

M Theune1, W Esser, K F Druschky

  • 1Neurologische Klinik, Städtisches Klinikum, Karlsruhe.

Der Nervenarzt
|January 19, 2000
PubMed
Summary

Young people are increasingly using Ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymetamphetamine, MDMA), leading to severe complications like seizures. This case highlights the difficulty in diagnosing MDMA-induced seizures due to delayed detection and denial of use.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Intravenous levetiracetam in clinical practice--Results from an independent registry.

Seizure·2015
Same author

Dynamin 2-related centronuclear myopathy: clinical, histological and genetic aspects of further patients and review of the literature.

Clinical neuropathology·2009
Same author

[Apical tooth root resection guideline].

Mund-, Kiefer- und Gesichtschirurgie : MKG·2008
Same author

Factor XII C46T gene polymorphism and the risk of cerebral venous thrombosis.

Neurology·2008
Same author

[Platelet aggregation disorders].

Hamostaseologie·2003
Same author

QAlign: quality-based multiple alignments with dynamic phylogenetic analysis.

Bioinformatics (Oxford, England)·2003

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Clinical Toxicology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • The recreational drug Ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymetamphetamine, MDMA) is increasingly used by young people.
  • MDMA use is associated with severe neurological, psychiatric, and medical complications, including seizures.
  • Seizures are a common central nervous system (CNS) complication following MDMA ingestion.

Observation:

  • A case report details a 21-year-old patient experiencing multiple grand mal seizures after consuming 12 Ecstasy tablets.
  • MDMA was detected at a significant level (300 ng/ml) in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 36 hours post-ingestion.
  • The patient initially denied drug use, complicating the diagnostic process.

Findings:

  • MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymetamphetamine) was confirmed in the patient's serum and CSF.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Treatment with Clonazepam and carbamazepine successfully prevented further seizures.
  • Routine toxicology screening often fails to detect MDMA, hindering rapid diagnosis.

    • Implications:

    • This case underscores the importance of considering MDMA intoxication in patients presenting with seizures, even with initial denial.
    • Enhanced diagnostic protocols may be needed to detect MDMA in cases of unexplained neurological complications.
    • Awareness of MDMA's neurotoxic effects and detection challenges is crucial for clinicians managing young adults with CNS events.