Owing to extensive work on the MDMA/PTSD study, the MDMA literature project has remained on a temporary hiatus. However, we are now posting some milestones and turning points in MDMA research that have occurred during late 2003 and early 2004.

In November 2003, Tancer and Johanson report and compare the subjective and physiological effects of MDMA, the serotonin release and 5HT2C agonist mCPP, and d-amphetamine, in 12 Ecstasy user subjects (Tancer and Johanson 2003). The study was a randomized, double-blinde within-subjects design (meaning all subjects received all conditions) involving two doses of each drug. Physiological effects of MDMA peaked an hour after administration, and increased positive mood peaked an hour afterwards. MDMA seemed to share some subjective effects with d-amphetamine and mCPP, and MDMA was deemed more rewarding than the other two drugs. Up to approximately 150 mg MDMA (2 mg/kg) was administered without incident in this study.

View an extensive summary (structured abstract) of this study.