Thus , the current state of research does not allow for the conclusion that long-term use of MDMA affects decision-making behavior in general .
Different cognitive impairments have been reported as a result of long-term MDMA/ecstasy use .
Increased impulsivity and altered decision-making have been shown to be associated with the development and maintenance of addictive disorders pointing toward the necessity to underst and a potential impairment of decision-making due to MDMA use .
Thus , assessing the long-term effects of MDMA is crucial in order to evaluate its controversially discussed therapeutic use .
The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the scientific literature on potential effects of chronic MDMA use on higher order decision-making processes in humans .
A randomized, controlled pilot study of MDMA (±3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine)-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of resistant, chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Psychiatrists and psychotherapists in the US ( 1970s to 1985 ) and Switzerl and ( 1988–1993 ) used MDMA legally as a prescription drug , to enhance the effectiveness of psychotherapy . Early reports suggest that it is useful in treating trauma-related disorders . Recently , the first completed pilot study of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD yielded encouraging results . Design ed to test the safety and efficacy of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy in patients with treatment-resistant PTSD ; our r and omized , double-blind , active-placebo controlled trial enrolled 12 patients for treatment with either low-dose ( 25 mg , plus 12.5 mg supplemental dose ) or full-dose MDMA ( 125 mg , plus 62.5 mg supplemental dose ) .  MDMA was administered during three experimental sessions , interspersed with weekly non-drug-based psychotherapy sessions . Outcome measures used were the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale ( CAPS ) and the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale ( PDS ) . Patients were assessed at baseline , three weeks after the second and third MDMA session ( end of treatment ) , and at the 2-month and 1-year follow-ups . We found that MDMA-assisted psychotherapy can be safely administered in a clinical setting . No drug-related serious adverse events occurred . We did not see statistically significant reductions in CAPS scores ( p = 0.066 ) , although there was clinical ly and statistically significant self-reported ( PDS ) improvement ( p = 0.014 ) . CAPS scores improved further at the 1-year follow-up . In addition , three MDMA sessions were more effective than two ( p = 0.016 )
Thus , the current state of research does not allow for the conclusion that long-term use of MDMA affects decision-making behavior in general .
Different cognitive impairments have been reported as a result of long-term MDMA/ecstasy use .
Increased impulsivity and altered decision-making have been shown to be associated with the development and maintenance of addictive disorders pointing toward the necessity to underst and a potential impairment of decision-making due to MDMA use .
Thus , assessing the long-term effects of MDMA is crucial in order to evaluate its controversially discussed therapeutic use .
The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the scientific literature on potential effects of chronic MDMA use on higher order decision-making processes in humans .