2016/02/07 by Carl Roberts, Andrew Jones, Catharine Montgomery · 2 citations
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics · Neuroscience · Medicine · #Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis #Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior #Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.02.003
openalex publication_date 2016/02/07 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
We conducted a meta-analysis on the available data from studies investigating SERTs in ecstasy users and polydrug using controls. From 7 studies we compared data from 157 ecstasy users and 148 controls across 14 brain regions. The main effect suggested ecstasy/MDMA related SERT reductions (SMD=0.52, 95% CIs [0.40, 0.65]; Z=8.36, p<.01, I(2)=89%). A significant effect of subgroups (X(2)=37.41, df=13, p<.01, I(2)=65.3%) suggested differential effects across brain ROIs. Ecstasy users showed significant SERT reductions in 11 out of the 14 regions, including every neocortical and limbic region analysed. Greatest effects were observed in the occipital cortex (SMD=1.09, 95% CIs [0.70, 1.48]). No group effects were observed in subcortical areas of the caudate, putamen and midbrain. Literature on Postsynaptic 5HT2A receptor imaging was synthesised with these results. We conclude that, in line with preclinical data, serotonin axons with the longest projections from the raphe nuclei appear to be most affected by ecstasy/MDMA use.