Acute effects of MDMA on trust, cooperative behaviour and empathy: A double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment.

Background: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is being actively researched as an adjunct to psychotherapy. It may be beneficial to trust, empathy and cooperative behaviour due to its acute prosocial effects.

Aim: To test (a) the acute effects of MDMA on measures of empathy, trust and cooperative behaviour, and (b) subacute changes in mood three days after MDMA administration.

Detailed T1-Weighted Profiles from the Human Cortex Measured in Vivo at 3 Tesla MRI.

Studies into cortical thickness in psychiatric diseases based on T1-weighted MRI frequently report on aberrations in the cerebral cortex. Due to limitations in image resolution for studies conducted at conventional MRI field strengths (e.g.

Age-dependent effects of acute methylphenidate on amygdala reactivity in stimulant treatment-naive patients with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

In the present study, we investigate whether methylphenidate (MPH) affects emotional processing and whether this effect is modulated by age. We measured amygdala reactivity with functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) during processing of angry and fearful facial expressions in male stimulant treatment-naive patients with ADHD (N = 35 boys; N = 46 men) and 23 healthy control subjects (N = 11 boys; N = 12 men). In ADHD patients, we also measured amygdala reactivity 90min after an acute oral challenge with MPH (0.

Effects of dexamphetamine-induced dopamine release on resting-state network connectivity in recreational amphetamine users and healthy controls.

Dexamphetamine (dAMPH) is not only used for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but also as a recreational drug. Acutely, dAMPH induces release of predominantly dopamine (DA) in the striatum, and in the cortex both DA and noradrenaline. Recent animal studies have shown that chronic dAMPH administration can induce changes in the DA system following long-term exposure, as evidenced by reductions in DA transporters, D2/3 receptors and endogenous DA levels.

The Effects of Acutely Administered 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine on Spontaneous Brain Function in Healthy Volunteers Measured with Arterial Spin Labeling and Blood Oxygen Level-Dependent Resting State Functional Connectivity.

Background: The compound 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a potent monoamine releaser that produces an acute euphoria in most individuals.

Methods: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, balanced-order study, MDMA was orally administered to 25 physically and mentally healthy individuals. Arterial spin labeling and seed-based resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) were used to produce spatial maps displaying changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and RSFC after MDMA administration.