The acute effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and d-methamphetamine on human cognitive functioning

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychopharmacology
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Recreational drug use is prevalent, with amphetamine derivatives like MDMA and d-methamphetamine being commonly used.
• Understanding the acute cognitive effects of these substances is crucial for public health and harm reduction strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the acute (3-h) and 24-h post-dose cognitive effects of oral MDMA, d-methamphetamine, and placebo.
• To assess the impact of these drugs on cognitive functions such as attention, working memory, and psychomotor performance in recreational users.

Main Methods:

• A within-subject, double-blind, placebo-controlled laboratory study.
• Sixty-one abstinent recreational drug users received oral doses of 100 mg MDMA, 0.42 mg/kg d-methamphetamine, or placebo in a counter-balanced order.
• Cognitive performance was assessed at 3 hours (peak drug effect) and 24 hours post-dose, with blood samples collected to measure drug concentrations.

Main Results:

• At peak concentration, MDMA significantly impaired performance on trail-making tasks and trended towards impairing working memory.
• Methamphetamine use was associated with improved performance on a choice reaction task.
• By 24 hours post-dose, most cognitive differences between the drug conditions and placebo had diminished, though some choice reaction time improvements persisted with methamphetamine.

Conclusions:

• Acute MDMA administration leads to significant cognitive impairments, particularly in executive function and working memory.
• Methamphetamine shows a complex cognitive profile with some acute benefits in reaction time but potential for lingering effects.
• Further research is needed to fully characterize the acute disruption of attention, memory, and psychomotor performance by amphetamine preparations.