Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24142202›Full record

ArticlePsychopharmacology2014

The effect of acute tryptophan depletion on mood and impulsivity in polydrug ecstasy users.

Simon N Young, Martine Regoli, Marco Leyton, Robert O Pihl, Chawki Benkelfat

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Psychopharmacology, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 37% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Simon N YoungDepartment of Psychiatry, McGill University, 1033 Pine Avenue West, Montréal, Québec, H3A 1A1, Canada, simon.young@mcgill.ca.
Martine Regoli
Marco Leyton
Robert O Pihl
Chawki Benkelfat
McGill University · CA

Funding

Canadian Institutes of Health Research MOP42502
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

rationaleSeveral studies suggest users of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy) have low levels of serotonin. Low serotonin may make them susceptible to lowered mood.

objectiveThis work aims to study the acute effects on mood and impulsivity of lowering serotonin levels with acute tryptophan depletion in polydrug ecstasy users and to determine whether effects were different in men and women.

methodsIn a double-blind cross-over study, participants who had used ecstasy at least 25 times (n = 13) and nonuser controls (n = 17) received a tryptophan-deficient amino acid mixture and a control amino acid mixture containing tryptophan, at least 1 week apart. Mood was measured using the profile of mood states, and impulsivity was measured with the Go/No-Go task.

resultsThe main result shows that a lowering of mood after acute tryptophan depletion occurred only in female polydrug ecstasy users (n = 7), relative to controls (n = 9). Results from the Go/No-Go task suggested that impulsivity was not increased by acute tryptophan depletion in polydrug ecstasy users. LIMITATION: The group sizes were small, when males and females were considered separately.

conclusionsWomen polydrug ecstasy users appear to be more susceptible than men to the effects of lowered serotonin levels. If use of ecstasy alone or in conjunction with other drugs causes progressive damage of serotonin neurons, women polydrug ecstasy users may become susceptible to clinical depression.

Indexed as

AffectAmphetamine-Related DisordersAnalysis of VarianceCross-Over StudiesDietDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHumansImpulsive BehaviorMaleNeuropsychological TestsN-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamineSerotonin AgentsSex FactorsTime FactorsTryptophanN-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamineSerotonin AgentsTryptophan

Identifiers

PMID24142202
OpenAlexW2006148292

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.