ECSTASY DAMAGES THE BRAIN

New Study Alarming

The 'love drug' Ecstasy can seriously damage the brain and cause severe
psychological problems, including suicidal urges and manic psychosis,
a new study has shown.

The study -- published today in Neurology -- examined the brain of a
26-year-old man who had died of drug overdose and had used Ecstasy for
nine years. He also used cocaine and heroin in his final months.

"The levels of serotonin and another chemical associated with
serotinin were 50% to 80% lower in the brain of the Ecstasy user,"
said study author Dr. Stephen Kish, of the Centre for Addiction and
Mental Health and a U of T professor.

"This is the first study to show that this drug can deplete the level
of serotinin in humans," Kish said.

The study explained serotonin is a chemical neurotransmitter that
controls mood, pain, perception, sleep, appetite and emotions.

Ecstasy -- methylenedioxymethamphetamine -- is structurally related to
the hallucinogen mescaline and the stimulant amphetamine.

As Ecstasy reduces serotonin in the brain, it could lead to severe
psychological problems, including suicidal urges, and other
behavioural problems similar to those experienced by people going
through drug withdrawal.

The study said many who use Ecstasy consider it a love drug with a
mild high and no side-effects. It floods the brain with artificial
serotonin causing the user to feel energized and lowering social shyness.

MASSIVE RELEASE

"Some of the behaviour effects of this drug are probably due to the
massive release and depletion of serotonin and the depression that
people feel after going off the drug could also be explained by the
depletion of serotonin," Kish said.

The man started using Ecstasy once a month at age 17. His usage
increased and, in his last three years, he used it four to five nights
a week at "rave" clubs where he would binge on six to eight tablets.
On the day after these binges, his friends said, he appeared depressed
and had slow speech, movement and reaction time.