The role of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in the scientific community is controversial, but recent findings suggest that it could be a promising aid in psychotherapy (Mithoefer et al., 2013). MDMA is a popular recreational drug that has both stimulant and hallucinogenic properties and is known to promote positive mood and enhanced overall sociability in users (Liechti et al., 2001). An overwhelming amount of past research on MDMA raises concerns about its neurotoxicity, but there is no present consensus on the topic due to both the lack of translatability across species and inconsistent findings (Mueller et al., 2013). Despite the uncertainty about its neurotoxicity, MDMA is presently undergoing trials to test its efficacy as a …show more content…
A 5-HT2A receptor antagonist blocked the social effects of MDMA. A 5-HT2C agonist decreased huddling but did not affect social vocalizations, and a 5-HT1A agonist decreased huddling (Pitts et al., 2017). The researchers concluded that MDMA and its enantiomers increase the frequency of affiliative behaviors and vocalizations in a dose-dependent fashion, and the behavioral effects of MDMA are 5-HT2A receptor dependent (Pitts et al., 2017). This study has many strengths. Squirrel monkeys are an excellent model because they are behaviorally well-characterized and metabolize MDMA quite similarly to humans, which gives the results better translatability to humans than rodent models (Mueller et al., 2013). LMMs were a strong choice for analysis, as they are capable of identifying a relationship between several variables while also reducing the risk of a type I error. Testing both racemic MDMA and its individual enantiomers was critical to improve understanding of each enantiomer’s distinct behavioral effects, which was seldom considered in past studies. Controlling doses by subject mass was also essential—the effects of MDMA are heavily dose-dependent, and skew from dosing error could alter the size of the observed behavioral effect between individuals (Liechti et al., 2001). The use of antagonists and agonists to observe the function of individual receptor subtypes in relation to the behavioral effects of MDMA was critical for improving the pharmacological
MDMA, or methylenedioxy-methylamphetamine, is a chemical that affects the release of serotonin in the brain and is a schedule I drug in the United states. Most commonly known as a part of the ecstasy pill or molly powder capsule, this crystalline drug is used at raves, parties, and clubs worldwide for a heightened sense of euphoria and a myriad of psychedelic effects. This substance is known as the love drug for it's ability to bring people closer together and lower normal social anxieties with its empatheogenic effects. In the last few years, more and more studies have been done on the valid psychiatric use for counseling and couples therapy. Here are some of the things found during the most recent of these studies.
4. What similarities and what differences are there in the toxic effects of cocaine and amphetamine relate to the behavioral effects of the two drugs? Cocaine: CNS stimulations or convulsions and maybe
Jyllian Kemsley Ph.D. is a chemical research scientist, and scientific research contributor to the CENtral Science’s Safety Zone blog that seeks to “cover science and technology, business and industry, government and policy, education, and employment aspects of the chemistry field”. Her article entitled “Psychedelic Compounds like Ecstasy May Be Good for More than Just a High", reports on the revolutionary research theory within the field of medicine that seeks to examine the prospective benefits of using psychoactive compounds in treating a number of mental conditions. The piece is well written, and presents a number of background studies that have evaluated the efficiency of these
The growing debate over drugs and their use is a constant issue in today’s society. Animals and Psychedelics: The Natural World and the Instinct to alter Consciousness offers a unique look into how and why some people and animals have a natural instinct to seek out things to inebriate themselves. With the unique information this book brings to light, it creates new points for policy makers to take into consideration when drug policies are being created.
Other drugs, such as amphetamine or cocaine, can cause the neurons to release abnormally large amounts of natural neurotransmitters or prevent the normal recycling of these brain chemicals. This disruption produces a greatly amplified message, ultimately disrupting communication channels.
Within this paper I am going to talk about the where it comes from, the history of MDMA, the population that gravitates to MDMA, the effects that happens to the body when consuming MDMA, what damage MDMA causes,
MDMA has not always been viewed in a negative light. Its health benefits can be traced back to the mid-twentieth century. With the homecoming of World War II soldiers, MDMA use was found to be more prevalent in society. The correlation between the homecoming of the soldiers and the spike in MDMA usage led scientists to research the situation further. The scientists found that MDMA held psycho-related benefits which was most prominent in those who suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Those suffering with PTSD had a hard time coping with their emotions. They felt more detached from others and had sporadic behaviors that could lead to verbal or physical abuse. In the wake of World War II, the discovery that a drug could lessen
Mdmaptsd.org, a site designed to share information on treating PTSD with MADA-assisted psychotherapy, shared a study done by the Journal of Psychopharmacology where they took people who qualified for PTSD treatment and gave MDMA-assisted psychotherapy to one group and solely psychotherapy to another. After the study was over, 83 percent of the people who took psychotherapy alone still showed signs of PTSD, while only 25 percent of those involved in MDMA-assisted psychotherapy still showed signs of PTSD (TPM). Unlike all of the other psychedelics mentioned, if used in excess, MDMA can cause overdose and ultimately brain damage, affecting the release of serotonin in your brain which can lead to an even more sever case of depression. This, however, does not occur immediately and requires abuse of the drug over a long period of time. This why it should only be administered while the patient is under close examination and used for medical purposes only and not as a “party drug” like MDMA is most common
Drugs of abuse, such as cocaine, ecstasy, heroin and cannabis, are of natural or synthetic origin, which can alter the emotional state, perception, body functioning and behaviour of an individual. Drugs are known to work in the brain by activating certain brain circuits via different mechanisms, and stimulate or inhibit different neurons in the pathway. However, due to the effects of each drug being different, a drug will affect either different pathways and neurons in the brain to that of another, or through a different process, i.e. direct or indirect activity. This essay will discuss the different mechanisms of action that cocaine, ecstasy, heroin and
i. Has been proven to induce your brains levels of serotonin, dopamine and melatonin (feel good chemicals)
The complexity of the human brain creates mystery when determining the influence of neurophysiological factors and their role in the process of addiction. There is a proposed relationship between drug addiction and the mesolimbic dopamine system, with the mesolimbic pathway from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens considered the ‘reward centre’ of the human brain (Alcohol Rehab, 2011). A release of dopamine is necessary for ‘reward’ which is hypothesised to initiate the addiction cycle by providing positive reinforcement for drug self-administration (Feltenstein & See, 2009). Methamphetamine triggers the release of dopamine from synaptic vesicles which flood the synaptic cleft activating feelings of euphoria, well-being
Substance addiction can hugely impact on a person’s thinking, functioning and behaviour. Whilst depressant drugs such as alcohol and opioids slow down your central nervous system (CNS), stimulants such as cocaine or amphetamine increase the activity of the CNS, leading to higher blood pressure, heart rate and increased alertness. Repeated abuse of the substance leads to tolerance and withdrawal, in turn this leads to the user showing signs of irrational behaviour. Another form of substance abuse is hallucinogens; they can cause powerful changes in sensory perceptions. It works by binding to the serotonin receptors, these neurons control visual information and emotions, and this can lead to various effects on the user. Neurobiology can help us understand the reasons for addiction and the effects they have on us. Groman and Jentsch (2012) discuss key issues of differentiating the causes and consequences of addiction through neuroimaging and behavioural research on monkeys, they found that the dysfunction of the dopamine
Drugs have been around for a very long time. They are used for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons include relaxation, socialization, curiosity, stress relief, or a form of escapism. However, most people don’t know the threats and danger that it can cause to the body. In this paper, we are going to examine the changes that happen inside the brain due to the effects of different drugs. We will look closely at how drugs such as hallucinogens, ecstasy, cocaine, heroin, and cannabis affect an individual psychologically. I will explain the origin of the drugs, how a person feels while on the drug, how the drugs
Available scientific evidence indicate that marijuana contain a useful chemical that treats several mental disorder illnesses. The useful purpose of this drug has prompted a long standing debate as
An individual’s behavior and emotion becomes chemically altered often resulting in dependency, aggression, onset of diseases and poor judgement. This poses a dangerous threat to the neurotransmitters since they have multiple jobs in different parts of the brain. Drugs of abuse are able to exert influence over the brain reward pathway either by directly influencing the action of dopamine within the system, or by altering the activity of other neurotransmitters that exert a modulatory influence over this pathway. These drugs are often powerful and have been known to trigger schizophrenic behavior and can also cause a person to cease breathing, for example hallucinogens such as LSD, mescaline, and psilocybin are able to artificially stimulate the serotonin receptor (Sapolsky, 2005).