But like in the movie, the positive effects of the drug are temporary and after four hours Tim returns to his previous state, often depressed and lethargic. The discovery has excited and concerned researchers. Not only is Ecstasy illegal, there's evidence suggesting users may suffer memory impairment and psychotic disorders. Scientists believe the short term benefits of Ecstasy on Parkinson's may be outweighed by the damaging long term effects. Doctor Kay Double, from the Prince of Wale Medical Research Institute in Sydney, says there may be a simple explanation as to why Ecstasy works.
Ecstasy is a drug that affects many of the chemical systems in the brain.
And Ecstasy can actually cause the release of more of this chemical, and therefore restore normal movement for at least a while. However, tests carried out Tim Lawrence show that Ecstasy appears to have had no impact on dopamine levels. But the drug was found to release large amounts of another brain chemical called serotonin. Dr Double says she can't rule out the suggestion that serotonin may impact on movement, but she remains skeptical. The levels of serotonin in the brain are just about normal.