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MDMA, or ecstasy, affects three neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.
Studies show that MDMA can damage serotonin containing neurons.
"Studies have shown that some heavy MDMA users experience long lasting confusion, depression, and selective impairment of working memory and attention processes."
Source: http://Alcoholism.about.com/cs/ecstasy/f/mdma_faq05.htm
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Why do you experience pleasurable feeling when taking Ecstasy?
Because MDMA (Ecstasy) causes a flood of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is the chemical that creates a sense of well-being and balances your mood. Ecstasy causes all the serotonin in your brain to be released at once. That is why people often feel depressed and unhappy for a day or so after taking Ecstasy. All of the serotonin in their brain has been depleted, and it takes awhile for your brain to replace it.
How are the neurotransmitters effected by ecstasy?
Ecstasy is mostly know for increasing Serotonin levels in the synapse which it does the most. It also increases levels of dopamine, monoamine, and norepinephrine. Serotonin is associated with your mood/emotions, sleep and appetite. Antidepressant drugs ussually target and increase serotonin levels as people who are depressed have low serotonin levels. This is why ecstasy makes you happy and loving when you take it. Dopamine is what allows us to expierence pleasure or pain, This is why it is sometimes called the reward center of our brain. Low dopamine levels lead to addiction. As far as I know monomine and norpinephrine are closely related to serotonin and are also related to your mood and depression.
Why does Ecstasy have a hard crash?
Because MDMA (Ecstasy) causes a flood of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is the chemical that creates a sense of well-being and balances your mood. Ecstasy causes all the serotonin in your brain to be released at once. That is why people often feel depressed and unhappy for a day or so after taking Ecstasy. All of the serotonin in their brain has been depleted, and it takes awhile for your brain to replace it. So, there is a comedown, or crash, after taking Ecstasy, but it is not nearly as bad as the comedown you get from other drugs, like speed and especially cocaine.
Does ecstasy increase serotonin in the synapse?
Yes it releases all the serotonin in your brain making you feel happy.
What will higher levels of serotonin have on the brain?
boo
Does it hurt overdosing on ecstasy?
Ecstasy will harm your body every time you use it, It causes an excess in serotonin in your brain, Serotonin effects you mood, appetite and sleep. Even though ecstasy increases serotonin when you are on the drug it will decrease the serotonin levels once you get off of it causing you to have sleeping problems a loss of appetite and can lead to being in a bad mood or depression. Also when you buy ecstasy on the street there is no telling what it really is, Sometimes you will get something completely different from ecstasy or sometimes you get something mixed with ecstasy. This is very dangerous because a lot of the time more dangerous drugs like methamphetamine and mixed in with it.
Will multiple ecstasy pills increase the duration of the effects?
Yes, but each subsequent ecstasy pill will have a less intense effect, can lead to a longer hangover, and increases the risk of side effects. Also, it will cause your serotonin levels to become even more depleted. Ecstasy use like this is believed to increase the risk of damage to serotonin receptors in the brain.
What are serotonergics?
Serotonergics (drugs that boost levels of the brain chemical serotonin)
What is the effect of ecstasy in the synapses?
It really depends what is in the ecstasy. Some ecstasy pills have nasty stuff in them as binders and fillers. Pure mdma - commonly called moly, or molecule has less toxic effect. The first time people do ecstasy it is the best because you become immune to it more every time you use it. Crap street sold ecstasy sometimes has heroin or meth or worse and has different effects on every different person. It causes your brain to release serotonin which is a fluid that calms us and regulates moods. Over time these spots where the serotonin is released shows up on c scans as holes. They do rebuild but takes a long time. I have found heavy ecstasy use causes you to feel like your never comfortable sober. You always want to be be in a sort of haze. Ecstasy works by affecting the concentration in the brain. This drug changes the natural effects of serotonin. The chemical serotonin is a messenger that carries signals from one nerve cell to another, which helps to modulate moods and emotions. Once this chemical has done its job, it is then sucked back into the cell that created it by a protein called serotonin transporters. Ecstasy works by dis enabling the transporter protein, and at the same time opening the flood gates so that all the brains serotonin is released in one glorious gush. Studies of ecstasy users show that there are risks in the safety and reduction in the brain activity, due to the loss of serotonin levels going up and down so drastically. Long periods of ecstasy use indicate that the increases of MDMA may be fun at first but very toxic to the brain, and can cause damage to the body and brain cells.
What do extacy pills do?
They tell your brain to release more serotonin (which makes you happy) than usual. Giving the user a sense of 'ecstasy'
Why is ecstasy abusable?
Well it isn't really so bad, but it can cause overheating of your body, dehydration, and when you are high, the brains uses most of "serotonin". Serotonin is responsible for good mood and some other stuff. When you take Ecstasy, big amount of serotonin us pumped, which makes you feel very good. But when you come down from high, you have low level of serotonin, which makes you depressed. That depression lasts from day to 7 or more.. depends on usesage Well, ecstasy isn't much worse from other legal drugs, use it responsible!
Why does ecstasy affect your brain?
it does no direct damage but affects mood, and memory
