Ecstasy may not have negative cognitive effects

Street drugs have been said to cause a negative impact on an individual's overall health, but a new study has found that Ecstasy may not be as harmful as originally thought.

Research was conducted by Harvard scientists to determine if Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), also known on the street as Ecstacy, affects the brain. Psychiatric assessments were conducted to analyze the neurocognitive abilities of these subjects, which had never been done in previous studies. The study, which was published in the journal Addiction, examined individuals who sparingly used drugs and alcohol and those who had never used Ecstasy. In the end, the drug did not appear to negatively impact the brain.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse helped fund the study over the course of five years, with data collecting assistance from the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). Currently, MAPS is helping Harvard researchers continue to learn more about how MDMA affects long-term health and brain function.

Similar to other street drugs, Ecstasy can be addictive. Drug addiction costs the U.S. more than $484 billion every year, according to the Department of Justice. Drug rehab programs can help individuals detoxify and become productive members of society.