Abstract
Psychoactive drugs, especially drugs with so-called psychedelic properties, exert profound effects on sensory perception, cognition, and emotion by modulating target neurotransmitter systems. The compound 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) exerts stimulant and psychedelic effects through its actions on dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, [5-HT]) transporters, by inhibiting their reuptake and stimulating their release. In addition to producing euphoria and positive mood, MDMA appears to produce unique “prosocial” or “empathogenic” feelings.
de Wit, H., Gorka, S. M., & Phan, K. L. (2015). The Ups and Downs of 3, 4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine: Linking Subjective Effects to Spontaneous Brain Function. Biological psychiatry, 78(8), 519-521. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.08.015
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