White matter alterations in chronic MDMA use: Evidence from diffusion tensor imaging and neurofilament light chain blood levels

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Josua Zimmermann - , University of Zurich, ETH Zurich (Author)
  • Nicole Friedli - , University of Zurich (Author)
  • Francesco Bavato - , University of Zurich (Author)
  • Philipp Stämpfli - , University of Zurich (Author)
  • Rebecca Coray - , University of Zurich (Author)
  • Markus R. Baumgartner - , University of Zurich (Author)
  • Denis Grandgirard - , University of Bern (Author)
  • Stephen L. Leib - , University of Bern (Author)
  • Antje Opitz - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Erich Seifritz - , University of Zurich (Author)
  • Ann Kathrin Stock - , Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (Author)
  • Christian Beste - , Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (Author)
  • David M. Cole - , University of Zurich (Author)
  • Boris B. Quednow - , University of Zurich (Author)

Abstract

3,4–Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “Ecstasy”) is a serotonin- and noradrenaline-releasing substance, currently among the most widely used illicit substances worldwide. In animal studies, repeated exposure to MDMA has been associated with dendritic but also axonal degeneration in the brain. However, translation of the axonal findings, specifically, to humans has been repeatedly questioned and the few existing studies investigating white matter alterations in human chronic MDMA users have yielded conflicting findings. In this study, we combined whole-brain diffusion tensor imaging and neurofilament light chain (NfL) analysis in blood to reveal potential MDMA-induced axonal neuropathology. To this end, we assessed 39 chronic MDMA users and 39 matched MDMA-naïve healthy controls. MDMA users showed increased fractional anisotropy in several white matter tracts, most prominently in the corpus callosum as well as corticospinal tracts, with these findings partly related to MDMA use intensity. However, the NfL levels of MDMA users were not significantly different from those of controls. We conclude that MDMA use is not associated with significant white matter lesions due to the absence of reduced fractional anisotropy and increased NfL levels commonly observed in conditions associated with white matter lesions, including stimulant and ketamine use disorders. Hence, the MDMA-induced axonal degradation demonstrated in animal models was not observed in this human study of chronic MDMA users.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number103191
JournalNeuroImage: Clinical
Volume2022
Issue number36
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2022
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 36126513
ORCID /0000-0002-2989-9561/work/160952359

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • Axonal neuropathology, DTI, MDMA, Neurofilament light chain, Neurotoxicity, White matter

Library keywords