Ecstasy and oxytocin

Although the drug methylenedioxymethamphetamine, better known as MDMA or ecstasy, is often lumped into the category of hallucinogens, it has a unique set of effects that make it very distinct from other drugs in this class. Specifically, along with creating a positive mood state and reducing anxiety, MDMA is known for fostering strong feelings of empathy and compassion.

In some ways, MDMA appears to act on the brain in a manner similar to other amphetamines. Specifically, it is taken up into neurons and promotes the release of neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. This excess neurotransmitter release is associated with alertness and a positive mood, along with the desire to continue using the drug. But the mechanism underlying MDMA's ability to create feelings of empathy is still somewhat unclear.

Some have suggested that enhanced compassion during MDMA use is due to increased release of oxytocin, a hormone synthesized by the hypothalamus. In addition to its roles in childbirth and breastfeeding, oxytocin has been dubbed "the love hormone" because it seems to increase trust, promote social bonding, and foster compassion.

In a study published this month in Nature Neuropsychopharmacology, researchers compared the effects of MDMA and oxytocin (in the form of a nasal spray) to see how similar they really are. Over a series of 4 sessions they gave MDMA, oxytocin, or placebo to a group of 65 MDMA users and then administered a series of tests to determine the overlap between the effects of MDMA and oxytocin.

They found that MDMA caused users to report feeling friendlier, more insightful, and more likely to enjoy social interaction. Interestingly, it also increased feelings of anxiety (perhaps because the participants were forced to experience the drug alone and it is a drug that increases the desire for social affiliation). On a task where participants were asked to identify angry, fearful, happy, or sad emotions in computer-generated faces, MDMA decreased the ability to recognize anger or fear. Thus, the effects of MDMA corresponded to what has been seen before in that it generally promoted positive feelings, sociability, and a decreased awareness of negative emotions in others.

The effects of intranasal oxytocin, however, were more ambiguous. It mildly increased reports of positive feelings, only impaired the identification of emotion in faces when it came to recognizing sadness (and this effect was only seen in female participants), and didn't influence the desire to socialize. Also, while the effects of MDMA increased with dose, the effects of oxytocin were inconsistent, with some effects being increased at the lower dose and reduced at the higher dose.

Overall, MDMA and oxytocin administration didn't result in similar effects in this study. One major shortcoming of the study was that the experiments were conducted with previous users of MDMA; a previous history of MDMA use certainly could have influenced the experience participants had with MDMA administration (and with oxytocin administration if there really are similarities between the two). However, there is also a lot we do not know about oxytocin and its effects on empathy and sociability. Whenever we give a moniker like "the love hormone" to something like a hormone or neurotransmitter we are chagrined to realize some years later that the actions of that substance are far too complex to preferentially attribute one function to it. The same may be true for oxytocin.

Kirkpatrick, M., Lee, R., Wardle, M., Jacob, S., & de Wit, H. (2014). Effects of MDMA and Intranasal Oxytocin on Social and Emotional Processing Neuropsychopharmacology, 39 (7), 1654-1663 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2014.12

YOUR BRAIN, EXPLAINED

Sleep. Memory. Pleasure. Fear. Language. We experience these things every day, but how do our brains create them? Your Brain, Explained is a personal tour around your gray matter. Building on neuroscientist Marc Dingman’s popular YouTube series, 2-Minute Neuroscience, this is a friendly, engaging introduction to the human brain and its quirks using real-life examples and Dingman’s own, hand-drawn illustrations.

Reading like a collection of detective stories, Your Brain, Explained combines classic cases in the history of neurology with findings stemming from the latest techniques used to probe the brain’s secrets. - Stanley Finger, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University (St. Louis), author, Origins of Neuroscience
An informative, accessible and engaging book for anyone who has even the slightest interest in how the brain works, but doesn’t know where to begin. - Dean Burnett, PhD, author, Happy Brain and Idiot Brain
Dingman weaves classic studies with modern research into easily digestible sections, to provide an excellent primer on the rapidly advancing field of neuroscience. - Moheb Costandi, author, Neuroplasticity and 50 Human Brain Ideas You Really Need to Know
...a highly readable and accessible introduction to the operation of the brain and current issues in neuroscience... a wonderful introduction to the field. - Frank Amthor, PhD, Professor of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, author, Neuroscience for Dummies

Order Now

BIZARRE

This book shows a whole other side of how brains work by examining the most unusual behavior to emerge from the human brain. In it, you'll meet a woman who is afraid to take a shower because she fears her body will slip down the drain, a man who is convinced he is a cat, a woman who compulsively snacks on cigarette ashes, and many other unusual cases. As uncommon as they are, each of these cases has something important to teach us about everyday brain function.

Dingman brings the history of neuroscience back to life and weaves in contemporary ideas seamlessly. Readers will come along for the ride of a really interesting read and accidentally learn some neuroscience along the way. - Erin Kirschmann, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology & Counseling, Immaculata University
A unique combination of storytelling and scientific explanation that appeals to the brain novice, the trained neuroscientist, and everyone in between. Dingman explores some of the most fascinating and mysterious expressions of human behavior in a style that is case study, dramatic novel, and introductory textbook all rolled into one. - Alison Kreisler, PhD, Neuroscience Instructor, California State University, San Marcos
Through case studies of both exceptional people as well as those with disorders, Bizarre takes us on a fascinating journey in which we learn more about what is going on in our skull. - William J. Ray, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, author, Abnormal Psychology
Bizarre is a collection of stories of how the brain can create zombies, cult members, extra limbs, instant musicians, and overnight accents, to name a few of the mind-scratching cases. After reading this book, you will walk away with a greater appreciation for this bizarre organ. If you are a fan of Oliver Sacks' books, you're certain to be a fan of Dingman's Bizarre. - Allison M. Wilck, PhD, Researcher and Assistant Professor of Psychology, Eastern Mennonite University