Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35179622›Full record

SynthesisPsychopharmacology2022

MDMA and memory, addiction, and depression: dose-effect analysis.

Madeline M Pantoni, Jinah L Kim, Kaitlin R Van Alstyne, Stephan G Anagnostaras

Erratum issuedOpen access · hybridAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Psychopharmacology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 16 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
16citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
5.9field-weighted citation impact, top 3% 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

16 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 33 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Stereoselective, sex-dependent 5-HTNeuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Review
  11. Tryptophan and Substance Abuse: Mechanisms and Impact.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023
    Review
  12. Evaluation of microRNA let-7b-3p expression levels in methamphetamine abuse.Revista da Associacao Medica Brasileira (1992) · 2023
    Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Review
  16. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Madeline M PantoniMolecular Cognition Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. maddie.pantoni@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6572-0162
Jinah L KimMolecular Cognition Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Kaitlin R Van AlstyneMolecular Cognition Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Stephan G AnagnostarasMolecular Cognition Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
University of California San Diego · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

rationale±3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a recreational drug that shows substantial promise as a psychotherapeutic agent. Still, there is some concern regarding its behavioral toxicity, and its dose-effect relationship is poorly understood. We previously explored the role of dose in the cognitive effects of MDMA in a systematic review of existing literature and found no evidence in animals that MDMA impairs memory at low doses (< 3 mg/kg) but mixed results at high doses (≥ 3 mg/kg). Since this review comprised mostly of single-dose studies and an assortment of methodologies, an empirical dose-ranging study on this topic is warranted.

objectivesThe current study aims to evaluate the conclusion from our systematic review that 3 mg/kg may be the threshold for MDMA-induced amnesia, and to further understand the dose-effect relationship of MDMA on behavioral assays of memory, addiction, and depression.

methodsWe systematically examined the effects of 0.01 to 10 mg/kg MDMA on Pavlovian fear conditioning; behavioral sensitization, conditioned place preference, and conditioned responding; and the Porsolt forced swim test in mice.

resultsHigh doses of MDMA (≥ 3 mg/kg) produced amnesia of fear conditioning memory, some evidence of an addictive potential, and antidepressant effects, while low doses of MDMA (≤ 1 mg/kg) had no effect on these behaviors.

conclusionsThe present dose-ranging study provides further evidence that 3 mg/kg is the threshold for MDMA-induced amnesia. These findings, in addition to our systematic review, demonstrate that careful selection of MDMA dose is critical. High doses (≥ 3 mg/kg) should likely be avoided due to evidence that they can produce amnesia and addiction. Conversely, there is little evidence to suggest that low doses, which are usually administered in clinical studies (approximately 1-2 mg/kg), will lead to these same adverse effects. Ultra-low doses (< 1 mg/kg) are likely even safer and should be investigated for therapeutic effects in future studies.

Indexed as

N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamineAmnesiaAnimalsConditioning, ClassicalDepressionDose-Response Relationship, DrugFearMiceN-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine3,4-MethylenedioxymethamphetamineAddictionBehavioral sensitizationConditioned place preferenceDepressionMDMAMemoryMicePavlovian fear conditioningStimulant

Identifiers

PMID35179622
PMCPMC8891111
OpenAlexW4212981695

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.