Arbeitsgedächtnis und Merkfähigkeit bei Ecstasy-Konsumenten

Rationale: Ecstasy is a synthetic drug with neurotoxic effects on central serotonergic systems. Serotonin is involved in various cognitive tasks involving memory and speed of information processing. By means of a comprehensive cognitive test battery poorer cognitive performance of the ecstasy user group were found. The most consistent findings include a significant correlation between memory and learning scores and the extent of ecstasy use indicating an association of poorer performance with heavier use. The cognitive disturbance is likely to be related to the well recognized neurotoxic potential of MDMA. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to assess various cognitive performance with focus on working memory, memory and cognition in current abstinent ecstasy users to provide evidence - which functional system in human brain are mainly affected by ecstasy-induced neurotoxicity- whether cognitive impairment is due to one central cognitive functional disorder or due to several different autonomous functional disorder- whether working memory deficits secondary induces poorer performances in long-term memory tasks and learning scores.Methods: We administered a cognitive test battery including working memory, memory and learning tasks to 60 recreational ecstasy users and 30 matched controls. Concomitant use of other drugs was recorded. Results: Low memory performances were significantly associated with heavy ecstasy use. The concomitant use of other drugs (amphetamines, cannabis and LSD) did not show significant effects on memory performance data. Low working memory (and central executive control) did not predict poor memory performance. Conclusions: The present data suggest that recreational ecstasy use over a period of months or a few years may cause long term impairment of cognitive performance. Our results indicate primary memory dysfunction in heavy ecstasy users, which may be related to a particularly high vulnerability of the hippocampus to the neurotoxic effects of MDMA. The important questions about progression, persistence or reversibility of damage after long periods of abstinence must be addressed in future studies with longitudinal design