Developmental Outcomes of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy)-exposed Infants in the UK

Overview

Journal Hum Psychopharmacol

Specialty Pharmacology

Date 2015 Jul 29

PMID 26216565

Citations 2

Authors

Lynn T Singer

Derek G Moore

Meeyoung O Min

Julia Goodwin

John J D Turner

Sarah Fulton

Andrew C Parrott

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: This paper aims to review findings from a longitudinal study of prenatal methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") on infant development.

Methods: In a prospective, longitudinal cohort design, we followed 28 MDMA-exposed and 68 non-MDMA-exposed infants from birth to 2 years of age. Women recruited voluntarily into a study of recreational drug use during pregnancy were interviewed to obtain type, frequency, and amount of recreational drug use. Their children were followed for a 2-year period after birth. A large number of drug and environmental covariates were controlled. Infants were seen at 1, 4, 12, 18, and 24 months using standardized normative tests of mental and motor development.

Results: There were no differences between MDMA-exposed and non-MDMA-exposed infants at birth except that MDMA-exposed infants were more likely to be male. Motor delays were evident in MDMA infants at each age and amount of MDMA exposure predicted motor deficits at 12 months in a dose-dependent fashion.

Conclusions: Prenatal MDMA exposure is related to fine and gross motor delays in the first 2 years of life. Follow-up studies are needed to determine long-term effects.

Citing Articles

Stimulant Use in Pregnancy: An Under-recognized Epidemic Among Pregnant Women.

Smid M, Metz T, Gordon A Clin Obstet Gynecol. 2019; 62(1):168-184.

PMID: 30601144 PMC: 6438363. DOI: 10.1097/GRF.0000000000000418.

Motor delays in MDMA (ecstasy) exposed infants persist to 2 years.

Singer L, Moore D, Min M, Goodwin J, Turner J, Fulton S Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2016; 54:22-8.

PMID: 26806601 PMC: 4789145. DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2016.01.003.

References

Schifano F, Albanese A, Fergus S, Stair J, Deluca P, Corazza O . Mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone; 'meow meow'): chemical, pharmacological and clinical issues. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2010; 214(3):593-602. DOI: 10.1007/s00213-010-2070-x. View

Parrott A . Human psychobiology of MDMA or 'Ecstasy': an overview of 25 years of empirical research. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2013; 28(4):289-307. DOI: 10.1002/hup.2318. View

Mocarelli P, Gerthoux P, Ferrari E, Patterson Jr D, Kieszak S, Brambilla P . Paternal concentrations of dioxin and sex ratio of offspring. Lancet. 2000; 355(9218):1858-63. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(00)02290-X. View

Singer L, Moore D, Min M, Goodwin J, Turner J, Fulton S . One-year outcomes of prenatal exposure to MDMA and other recreational drugs. Pediatrics. 2012; 130(3):407-13. PMC: 3428761. DOI: 10.1542/peds.2012-0666. View

Piper B . A developmental comparison of the neurobehavioral effects of ecstasy (MDMA). Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2006; 29(2):288-300. PMC: 1896315. DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2006.10.002. View

Carvalho M, Carmo H, Costa V, Capela J, Pontes H, Remiao F . Toxicity of amphetamines: an update. Arch Toxicol. 2012; 86(8):1167-231. DOI: 10.1007/s00204-012-0815-5. View

Piper M, Pinnell L, Darrah J, Maguire T, Byrne P . Construction and validation of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS). Can J Public Health. 1992; 83 Suppl 2:S46-50. View

Panenka W, Procyshyn R, Lecomte T, MacEwan G, Flynn S, Honer W . Methamphetamine use: a comprehensive review of molecular, preclinical and clinical findings. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2013; 129(3):167-79. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2012.11.016. View

Feyissa A, Kelly J . A review of the neuropharmacological properties of khat. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2008; 32(5):1147-66. DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2007.12.033. View

10.

Degenhardt L, Bruno R, Topp L . Is ecstasy a drug of dependence?. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2009; 107(1):1-10. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2009.09.009. View

11.

Singer L, Linares T, Ntiri S, Henry R, Minnes S . Psychosocial profiles of older adolescent MDMA users. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2004; 74(3):245-52. PMC: 10246326. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2003.12.015. View

12.

Parrott A . MDMA, serotonergic neurotoxicity, and the diverse functional deficits of recreational 'Ecstasy' users. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2013; 37(8):1466-84. DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.04.016. View

13.

Parrott A . Cortisol and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine: neurohormonal aspects of bioenergetic stress in ecstasy users. Neuropsychobiology. 2009; 60(3-4):148-58. PMC: 2826870. DOI: 10.1159/000253551. View

14.

Cruickshank C, Dyer K . A review of the clinical pharmacology of methamphetamine. Addiction. 2009; 104(7):1085-99. DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02564.x. View

15.

McElhatton P, Bateman D, Evans C, Pughe K, Thomas S . Congenital anomalies after prenatal ecstasy exposure. Lancet. 1999; 354(9188):1441-2. DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(99)02423-x. View

16.

Green A, Mechan A, Elliott J, OShea E, Colado M . The pharmacology and clinical pharmacology of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy"). Pharmacol Rev. 2003; 55(3):463-508. DOI: 10.1124/pr.55.3.3. View

17.

Campbell N, Koprich J, Kanaan N, Lipton J . MDMA administration to pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats results in its passage to the fetal compartment. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2006; 28(4):459-65. DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2006.05.006. View

18.

Parrott A . Why all stimulant drugs are damaging to recreational users: an empirical overview and psychobiological explanation. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2015; 30(4):213-24. DOI: 10.1002/hup.2468. View

19.

Singer L, Moore D, Fulton S, Goodwin J, Turner J, Min M . Neurobehavioral outcomes of infants exposed to MDMA (Ecstasy) and other recreational drugs during pregnancy. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2012; 34(3):303-10. PMC: 3367027. DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2012.02.001. View

20.

Powell C, Michaelis R . Townes-Brocks syndrome. J Med Genet. 1999; 36(2):89-93. PMC: 1734298. View