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Published on: September 23, 2015
Brain serotonin transporter binding in former users of MDMA ('ecstasy')
Sudhakar Selvaraj1, Rosa Hoshi, Zubin Bhagwagar
1PET Psychiatry, Cyclotron Building, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Imperial College, Hammersmith Hospital, London W12 0NN, UK.
Background:
Animal experimental studies have prompted concerns that widespread use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; 'ecstasy') by young people may pose a major public health problem in terms of persistent serotonin neurotoxicity.
Aims:
To determine the status of brain serotonin neurons in a group of abstinent MDMA users.
Method:
We assessed the integrity of brain serotonin neurons by measuring serotonin transporter (SERT) binding using positron emission tomography (PET) and [(11)C]DASB in 12 former MDMA users, 9 polydrug users who had never taken MDMA and 19 controls who reported no history of illicit drug use.
Results:
There was no significant difference in the binding potential of [(11)C]DASB between the groups in any of the brain regions examined.
Conclusions:
To the extent that [(11)C]DASB binding provides an index of the integrity of serotonin neurons, our findings suggest that MDMA use may not result in long-term damage to serotonin neurons when used recreationally in humans.
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