Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38926480›Full record

SynthesisScientific reports2024

Cognitive functioning associated with acute and subacute effects of classic psychedelics and MDMA - a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Lukas A Basedow, Tomislav Majić, Nicklas Jakob Hafiz, Engi A E Algharably, Reinhold Kreutz, Thomas G Riemer

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Scientific reports, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. IndolethylamineACS chemical neuroscience · 2025
    Article
  6. Review
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

6 authors.

Lukas A Basedow *Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Gutenbergstraße 18, 35037, Marburg, Germany. lukas.basedow@uni-marburg.de.ORCID 0000-0003-4866-8686
Tomislav Majić *Psychedelic Substances Research Group, Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-2950-6673
Nicklas Jakob HafizInstitute for Educational Quality Improvement (IQB), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-9035-4483
Engi A E AlgharablyCharité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Charité Campus Mitte, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-2402-0693
Reinhold KreutzCharité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Charité Campus Mitte, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-4818-211X
Thomas G RiemerPsychedelic Substances Research Group, Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-8068-3192

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Classic psychedelics and MDMA have a colorful history of recreational use, and both have recently been re-evaluated as tools for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Several studies have been carried out to assess potential long-term effects of a regular use on cognition, delivering distinct results for psychedelics and MDMA. However, to date knowledge is scarce on cognitive performance during acute effects of those substances. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we investigate how cognitive functioning is affected by psychedelics and MDMA during the acute drug effects and the sub-acute ("afterglow") window. Our quantitative analyses suggest that acute cognitive performance is differentially affected by psychedelics when compared to MDMA: psychedelics impair attention and executive function, whereas MDMA primarily affects memory, leaving executive functions and attention unaffected. Our qualitative analyses reveal that executive functioning and creativity may be increased during a window of at least 24 h after the acute effects of psychedelics have subsided, whereas no such results have been observed for MDMA. Our findings may contribute to inform recommendations on harm reduction for recreational settings and to help fostering differential approaches for the use of psychedelics and MDMA within a therapeutic framework.

Indexed as

CognitionHallucinogensN-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamineAttentionExecutive FunctionHumansMemoryHallucinogensN-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamineAcuteAfterglowCognitionMDMAPsychedelicSubacute

Identifiers

PMID38926480
PMCPMC11208433

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.