Newsgroups: alt.drugs
From: [lamon t g] at [cs.washington.edu] (Lamont Granquist)
Subject: Re: XTC FYI
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 93 02:29:10 GMT

[j--f--y] at [lonestar.utsa.edu] (Jeffrey S. Caffey   ) writes:
>Just FYI for all you XTC (MDMA) users:
>
>"Several laboratories have reported that rats given MDMA injections show a
>selective destruction of serotonin neurons in their brains. Then a similar
>effect was reported in monkeys at only two to three times the normal human
>dose, and this led many observers to conclude that similar brain damage
>probably would occur in human MDMA users." -Barnes DM. Science 239:864, 1988.
>
>"...the evidence that MDMA causes damage is strong enough to be taken very
>seriously."

2 to 3 times the normal human dose twice per day for four days which
cumulatively is 16 to 24 times the normal human dose per week.  Ricaurte's
unpublished study done on monkeys who ingested p.o. a "human equivalent"
dose of MDMA every other week found no damage.  Methodologically
sound studies of user's 5-HIAA levels have found no differences.  And
there is even a possibility that destruction of axons of the normally
dormant 5-HT system is necessary to produce enhanced interconnectivity [*].

[*] Azmitia-EC, "Awakening the sleeping giant:  anatomy and plasticity of
the brain seritonergic system"  J-Clin-Psychiatry  1991 Dec.  52 Suppl P
pg 4-16.

The jury is still out.