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The main concern about prolonged use of MDMA, whose main role is to release natural antidepressant when high on the drug known as ecstasy, is related to the effects it can have on the brain. In order to understand how MDMA effects can influence brain activity and brain cells, one needs to understand what exactly happens in the brain when ecstasy enters blood flow and it is transported to the brain.
The Role Of Natural Antidepressant
MDMA information that is available right now shows that the release of natural antidepressant is what determines the very pleasant feeling experienced when taking ecstasy. Once ecstasy enters the brain, its main effects are on serotonin receptors. The entire quantity that the brain disposes of at that time is forced through the natural antidepressant receptors, and MDMA starts its work. Not every brain cell contains serotonin receptors, as they are specialized in transporting certain hormones, so a certain area of the brain will enter in overdrive while MDMA is taking effect. To understand how the process works, imagine the serotonin receptors as little one way doors that allow the serotonin to be flushed through, but close soon after. There are also other receptors, called reuptake receptors that bring back some of the serotonin to be recycled through the brain cell. However, when on ecstasy, the amount that goes through the reuptake cycle is far less than normal. The sudden release of such a large quantity of serotonin – which is the entire reserve of the brain at that given moment – puts serotonin receptors to heavy work, which means that they comply to their role over a short duration of time. The MDMA effects that are felt then are very pleasant, as all positive sensations and feelings are intensified to an important degree, which is the exact thing that makes MDMA so popular.
What Happens To The Serotonin Receptors Afterwards
The body always tries to reach a state of balance, which is called homeostasis, in which the quantity of hormones produced and processed is regulated. Since the amount of natural antidepressant released is very high, according to medical MDMA information, the serotonin receptors are absorbed back into the structure of the brain cells, which may lead to the idea that they are destroyed. However, this is untrue, since they are only retired for a while, in order for the body to get rid of all the serotonin excess, that is still processed, even if the user no longer experience the pleasant MDMA effects. Only when the brain receives the signal that it is time to produce serotonin again, the natural antidepressant receptors go back to work and start transporting the hormone again.
Neurotoxicity
Still, one must be aware of the fact that ecstasy can cause neurotoxicity to the brain. Besides releasing serotonin, the levels of dopamine, another hormone, are also increased when taking MDMA. According to reliable MDMA information, dopamine enters the specialized brain cells for serotonin, when the phenomenon of depletion happens. Since dopamine does not belong there, it is broken down by the brain cells, through an oxidizing process. This is toxic for the serotonin producing cells, which leads to neurotoxicity on the long run. While the cells are not destroyed, they are affected, and it can take a while for them to get back online.
