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V Raj1, H C Liang, N D Woodward
1Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37072, USA.
Abstract:
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) users have impaired verbal memory, and voxel-based morphometry has shown decreased grey matter in Brodmann area (BA) 18, 21 and 45. Because these regions play a role in verbal memory, we hypothesized that MDMA users would show altered brain activation in these areas during performance of a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) task that probed semantic verbal memory. Polysubstance users enriched for MDMA exposure participated in a semantic memory encoding and recognition fMRI task that activated left BA 9, 18, 21/22 and 45. Primary outcomes were percent blood oxygen level-dependent signal change in left BA 9, 18, 21/22 and 45, accuracy and response time. During semantic recognition, lifetime MDMA use was associated with decreased activation in left BA 9, 18 and 21/22 but not 45. This was partly influenced by contributions from cannabis and cocaine use. MDMA exposure was not associated with accuracy or response time during the semantic recognition task. During semantic recognition, MDMA exposure was associated with reduced regional brain activation in regions mediating verbal memory. These findings partially overlap with previous structural evidence for reduced grey matter in MDMA users and may, in part, explain the consistent verbal memory impairments observed in other studies of MDMA users.
Insights
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) use is linked to reduced brain activation in areas crucial for verbal memory. This neurobiological finding may explain persistent memory deficits in MDMA users.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) use is associated with verbal memory impairments.
- Previous studies show reduced grey matter in specific brain regions (Brodmann areas 18, 21, 45) in MDMA users.
- These regions are implicated in verbal memory functions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if MDMA users exhibit altered brain activation in key verbal memory regions during a semantic verbal memory task using fMRI.
- To correlate lifetime MDMA use with brain activation patterns and task performance.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activation during a semantic memory encoding and recognition task.
- Participants were polysubstance users with significant MDMA exposure.
- Blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal change in left Brodmann areas (BA) 9, 18, 21/22, and 45 were primary outcomes.
Main Results:
- MDMA use was associated with decreased brain activation in left BA 9, 18, and 21/22 during semantic recognition.
- This effect was partly influenced by concurrent use of cannabis and cocaine.
- No significant association was found between MDMA exposure and accuracy or response time in the semantic recognition task.
Conclusions:
- MDMA exposure is linked to reduced regional brain activation in areas critical for verbal memory during semantic recognition.
- These neuroimaging findings provide a potential neural mechanism for the observed verbal memory deficits in MDMA users.
- The results partially corroborate previous structural findings of reduced grey matter in MDMA users.
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