Long-term changes in brain chemistry can result from the recreational use of the illegal drug commonly known as ecstasy. A new Vanderbilt University Medical Center study found that the drop in serotonin levels as a result of consuming the "rave" drug can last as long as two years.
Researchers have long known that Ecstasy users experience memory loss, but Dutch researchers recently explored whether or not changes in the brain structure may also take place – especially in the hippocampus, the region of the brain that manages the capacity for longer-duration memory. Perhaps even more alarming are study results that suggest the loss [...]
While there are obvious risks to the use of ecstasy, recent research shows the repeated use of this drug also significantly raises the risk of developing sleep apnea in young adults who have no other health issues. This finding is from a new study by Johns Hopkins scientists and was recently featured in a Science [...]
