Ecstasy Induces Learning and Memory Impairments in Laboratory Animals: Implications for Human Developmental Impairments

LaRonda L. Morford and Sandra L. Inman-Wood
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
T32ES07051

Background: The use of ecstasy, also known as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine or MDMA, has increased dramatically in recent years. It is a popular drug among young people and is often used at events known as raves. Emergency room visits and fatalities after ecstasy abuse have been reported. Longer term effects have also been reported such as anxiety, depression, panic attacks, problems with sleep, etc. In animals, ecstasy administration reduces the amount of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain; however, very little is known about ecstasy's effects on the developing brain. These investigators report learning and memory effects resulting from administration of ecstasy to young rats.

Advance: Rats aged 1-10 days and 11-20 days were administered ecstasy twice daily by injection. The younger age group showed no long-term effects from the treatment. However, the 11-20 day age group showed dose-dependent deficits in several recognized learning and memory tests which were persistent into adulthood. This age group has analagous brain development to early to late human fetuses during the third trimester. Contrary to adult administration, neurotransmitter levels were only slightly changed and were not correlated to the learning deficits.

Implication: These results describe a previously unrecognized risk to the developing brain. Ecstasy caused long-term memory and learning deficits in young rats exposed at an age which is analagous to late human fetal development. Understanding these effects may be of critical importance because as the use of ecstasy continues to increase, there will inevitably be increases in the number of users who are pregnant.

Publication: Broening, HW, Morford LL, Inman-Wood SL, Fukumura M, Vorhees CV. 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy)-induced learning and memory impairments depend on the age of exposure during early development. J Neuroscience. 2001 May 1;21(9):3228-3235.