ECSTASY NIPS AT MEMORY IN LOW DOSES

Studies have shown that the recreational drug Ecstasy can cause brain
damage when used often, but a new study suggests that even a few
doses of the illegal substance can alter the brain's memory system
and that the changes may be long-lasting.

"We didn't expect to find such changes," said Dr. Maartje De Win, a
resident in radiology at the Academic Medicine Center in Amsterdam.

She and her colleagues tested the effects of the popular drug on 188
young adults (average age 22) they recruited who said they had
intentions of trying Ecstasy but had not done so yet.

The volunteers were given initial brain scans and followed for 18
months. By that time, 59 had used an average of six tablets.

They were invited back into the scanning machines, along with another
59 of the volunteers who had not yet experimented with the drug.

The scientists found that the people who experimented with Ecstasy
showed subtle memory loss and a decrease in brain blood circulation
based on tests they were given. The scans and the psychological tests
were done anywhere from two to 18 weeks after they had taken the drug.

Ecstasy, also called MDMA, selectively targets a brain chemical
called serotonin that has many jobs -- from regulating mood and
memories to helping blood circulate.

People who take the drug say it heightens their sensory perceptions
and makes them feel more uninhibited and energetic. "They say they
can dance all night," De Win said. "They also say they feel more love
for others."

There was no damage to the neurons that make serotonin, as was
observed in studies done on chronic Ecstasy users.

"In heavy Ecstasy users, the effects are more clear," De Win said.

"But even in incidental users, we saw small effects. We don't know
whether the blood flow changes are some kind of brain adaptation to
the drug, or whether it will be reversible."

The scientists also conducted other types of brain scans and showed
that there are structural changes in the cells -- even in those who
have only taken Ecstasy a few times.

The findings were presented last week at the Radiological Society of
North America's annual meeting in Chicago.

The scientists say they hope to follow these people for a year to see
if the changes persist.