Recently, a common belief that has spread among users of ecstasy is that the drug is safe and it can be used without suffering any long term consequences. However, MDMA neurotoxicity is a reason of concern, according to medical based MDMA information, as brain damage is a possibility in people that use ecstasy for a prolonged period of time. MDMA facts on neurotoxicity of the drug are still far from offering solid proof in this direction, and there are plenty of signs that ecstasy, although a great deliverer of pleasant sensations, due to the high concentration of natural antidepressant it releases in the brain, can be a dangerous drug.
What Happens Inside The Nervous Cells
The human brain uses nervous cells in order to transmit signals to the body and one of its most important functions is to release different hormones that regulate other body processes. Serotonin, the natural antidepressant the brain produces, is responsible for a feeling of well being, and also for learning and memory abilities. When someone takes ecstasy, they actually consume all their available serotonin in only one go; once the hormone reserve is depleted, MDMA comedown occurs and the side effects can be quite difficult to cope with. MDMA information on neurotoxicity shows that the nervous cells that deal with producing and releasing serotonin are over-stimulated by ecstasy and the receptors inside them are responsible for releasing the serotonin. When this happens under the influence of the drug, the serotonin receptors are retracted in the nervous cells and they cease their activity for the time being. MDMA facts reveled by studies on drug abuse show that the cells are then invaded by dopamine, another hormone, that should not be present inside those nervous cells.
Oxidation, The Real Danger
Once dopamine invades the serotonin making cells, an oxidation process starts. As it is well known, oxidation is the process that makes cells age and die. Our entire lives, as human beings, are governed by this process, and it is because of it, that we all die. However, the oxidation process that occurs during MDMA comedown, after the natural antidepressant has been flushed away, is very dangerous, because it can slowly kill nervous cells.
Is MDMA Neurotoxicity A Reality
Although the aforementioned MDMA facts were demonstrated by scientific studies, MDMA neurotoxicity still represents a matter of debate. While oxidation of the nervous cells can, at least theoretically, lead to brain damage, it was observed that human brains tend to recoup after such experience and regain their serotonin receptors. Some effects of MDMA on the brain can include memory impairment and increased difficulty in learning and remembering things. Further studies are now conducted to determine whether the MDMA information on neurotoxicity that exists so far can receive more solid proofs or not.
What To Do To Combat MDMA Neurotoxicity
Since oxidation is the main culprit for MDMA neurotoxicity, you can help your brain recover and start producing natural antidepressant again by eating foods rich in antioxidants, and rest a lot. This way, the oxidation process will be slowed down, and the affected nervous cells will have a higher chance at a fast recovery. Also, an episode of MDMA comedown can be made easier by eating and sleeping right.