BACKGROUND: The main psychotropic agent of the popular illicit drug ecstasy is 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). In the light of animal studies and examinations of human cerebrospinal fluid, MDMA is suspected of causing neurotoxic lesions to the serotonergic system. AIMS: To postulate a relationship between ecstasy use and lasting alterations to the cerebral glucose metabolic rate. METHODS: Positron emission tomography (PET) with 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) was performed on seven ecstasy users and seven subjects without any known history of illicit drug use. Data were compared for a limited number of brain regions. RESULTS: By comparison with the control group, the glucose metabolic uptake of the ecstasy user group was altered within the amygdala, hippocampus and Brodmann's area II. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest the possibility that ecstasy use has lasting effects on central neuronal activity in humans.
