Re: MAPS: Re: People Magazine Blasts MDMA

[RickMAPS@xxxxxxx]

Neither of the articles Ethan Russo posted claim even a speculative link
between MDMA and damage to dopamine cells.

The first article discusses two entirely distinct processes,  the impact of
MDMA and methamphetamine on reactive oxygen species (ROS)  overproduction in
monoaminergic ( meaning in this case serotonin)  systems, and the entirely
distinct "oxygen-based species in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced
nigrostriatal dopaminergic degeneration and in Parkinson's disease."

The second article is about the "acute lethal effects" of MDMA and
methamphetamine, meaning the researchers gave rats enough MDMA and
methamphetamine to kill them,  speculated on the mechanism of death, found
gender differences in sensitivity and  tried to make a comment about  how
those gender differences in "hormonal-free radical scavenger interactions"
might impact another entirely different situation, the development of
Parkinson's.

MDMA neurotoxicity has been studied with many millions of dollars of federal
money, in many different labs, for about 15 years.  Not one, NOT ONE,  single
study has ever suggested that MDMA kills dopamine cells.  Dr. George Ricaurte,
the world expect on MDMA neurotoxicity, does not claim that MDMA kills
dopamine cells.  Nobody who has ever done research into MDMA neurotoxicity
claims that MDMA kills dopamine cells.

While I am at it, neither does MDMA drain spinal fluid.

Rick Doblin

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