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Ecstasy: The Clinical, Pharmacological and Neurotoxicological Effects of the Drug MDMA pp 213–224Cite as

Effect of MDMA-Like Drugs on CNS Neuropeptide Systems

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Part of the book series: Topics in the Neurosciences ((TNSC,volume 9))

Abstract

The ring-substituted amphetamine analogue, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “ecstasy”) causes in humans psychoactive responses described as a combination of euphoria, enhanced empathy, and central stimulation [1]. This combination of pharmacological effects has caused MDMA to become a popular recreational drug, resulting in its classification as a Schedule I agent. Comparisons with other psychoactive drugs have demonstrated that MDMA and another amphetamine analogue, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), possess both stimulant properties, resembling more traditional amphetamine congeners, and hallucinogenic activity, like LSD [2]. This somewhat unique combination of effects has caused some investigators to claim that these so-called “designer” amphetamine analogues represent a new class of pharmacological agents [3,4].

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Authors
  1. Glen R. Hanson
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  2. Kalpana M. Merchant
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  3. Michel Johnson
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  4. Anita A. Letter
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  5. Lloyd Bush
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  6. James W. Gibb
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Stanford University Medical Center, USA

    Stephen J. Peroutka

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© 1990 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Hanson, G.R., Merchant, K.M., Johnson, M., Letter, A.A., Bush, L., Gibb, J.W. (1990). Effect of MDMA-Like Drugs on CNS Neuropeptide Systems. In: Peroutka, S.J. (eds) Ecstasy: The Clinical, Pharmacological and Neurotoxicological Effects of the Drug MDMA. Topics in the Neurosciences, vol 9. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-1485-1_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-1485-1_12

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-8799-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-1485-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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