What Are the Ultimate Effects of Taking Ecstasy?

Hypothetically the only drug that should be in ecstasy is the compound MDMA. MDMA was first patented by a German chemical company which allegedly would use it as a diet pill. The company did not end up marketing the drug, and it wasn't until the 1950's that it was heard about again. That is when the US Army began experimenting with it as a truth serum. And between 1977 and 1985, therapists researched and tested the drug for use in psychotherapy sessions, to help the patients 'open up' their minds. But in 1985 the drug was banned by the DEA. This, however, did not stop the drug from gaining its popularity among the public. The 90's saw a great boom of MDMA being used recreationally, mainly as a club/rave drug. A research study shows "that one in five teens in the area have been offered methamphetamine and nearly one in three have been offered Ecstasy" (quoted in "Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly"). And because of such a great demand ecstasy was and still is illegally manufactured and sold on the black market. Within the black market many substitute MDMA for its 'cousins', MDA or MDE which give the same effect.

Though it has been debated in the past that MDMA (or ecstasy) is not a harmful drug, research and experimenting has shown that it can be damaging. The side effects of ecstasy can affect the user in immediate periods after use, as well as over long terms.

Without any prior knowledge of the drug, it is easy to come to conclusions with one immediate result. Since the drug is illegally made, there are no restrictions or regulations that manufacturers must follow. The reality of the matter is that manufacturers can put together any concoction of drugs they'd like, and you can never know. Dr. Selva, who is director of general pediatrics and adolescent medicine in the department of child health at the university in Colombia, MO put it well; "Adolescents need to know that taking Ecstasy is not like taking Tylenol, where you know that the only ingredient in the pill is Tylenol" (quoted in "Warn teens that ecstasy is often contaminated"). Most commonly MDMA (or MDA/MDE) is mixed into a pill form with methamphetamines, ketamine, caffeine, or even ephedrine. An allergic reaction to any ingredient in the pill can lead to death.

It has become apparent over the years that there is more than one way ecstasy can induce death. As stated before ecstasy is a club or a rave drug. Under such conditions as a club or a rave, ecstasy users may become overheated, and dehydrated because the serotonin rush interfere with the bodies functions such as blood pressure and heart rate. If the user does not replace the fluids that his body loses this could cause hyperthermia resulting in death. Ironically enough, it is possible to die by drinking too much fluid while on ecstasy. The user usually thinks he can counter the dehydrating effect by drinking large amounts of liquids. In doing so he is actually diluting the amount of electrolytes in the blood system which regulates neural activity-in their systems.

To fully understand the effects that ecstasy can have on the brain, you must have an understanding on its mechanics. MDMA stimulates neurons in your brain to release

large amounts of neurotransmitters into the synapse: serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, as shown in illustrations 1 through 3. Serotonin is stored in the axon terminals vesicles, and is usually released when you are happy and in good mood. Thus, when an excessive amount is released, the feeling of a 'utopia' is created where you are 'on the top of the world'. In contrast, taking too much ecstasy in one dose can deplete your serotonin levels, which take one to two weeks to replenish. This is what leads to depression when coming down and in the days following the use. Prolonged abuse of the drug can prevent your serotonin levels from fully replenishing; hence the onset of a constant depression. As Jeremy G. Blowers discovered in his study, "Overall MDMA users in the study reported a significantly higher number of depressive symptoms both 24 hours after, and two weeks after using ecstasy" (quoted in "3 , 4 - Methylenedioxy methamphetamine/ecstasy and symptoms of depression in the collegiate population"). This can lead to dependence along with the illusion that you are only 'happy' when you are on the drug.

The neurotransmitters are stored in the cells axon terminal, until an electrical impulse tells the vesicles to release into the synapse. They are then received by the next cell's dendrites, and bind to the cell's 'receptors', as it is depicted in illustration 4. When enough serotonin has bound to the receptors, the cell body then decides to send an impulse throughout the cell releasing more into another synapse (This is how your brain communicates). When the receptors are bombarded with serotonin from excessive dosage, they retract into the cell. This is also a major cause of depression over a longer period of time. Because some receptors retract, the serotonin cannot bind with the next

cell; thus impairing the ability of neurons to communicate good feelings or moods even long after.

However, under less severe conditions the serotonin binds to the receptors, then unbinds. They float back into the synapse and bind with the previous cells 'reuptake transporter'. These transporters pump the serotonin back into the cells axon terminal. Some are absorbed back into the vesicles and some are broken down inside the cell by Monoamine Oxidase. While on MDMA, eventually users will run out of serotonin. When this happens there is nothing in the synapse for the transporter to take in. This is when the serotonin axon is susceptible to uptake a different neurotransmitter, dopamine. Ideally dopamine should not be allowed to do this, but when the transporter is empty it can absorb dopamine into the serotonin axon, which is what is occurring in illustration 5. The dopamine is broken down inside the cell

...