MDMA
Definitions/Description
- MDMA is a substituted amphetamine that acts by promoting the release of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine through reversal of their respective transporters (SERT, DAT, and NET).
- It was initially synthesized in 1912 by Merck but was not meaningfully studied in humans until it was resynthesized and characterized by Alexander Shulgin in 1965.
- It found limited use as a gray-market adjunct to psychotherapy, particularly couples therapy, before expanding into recreational use in the 1970s and 1980s. It was placed on Schedule I in 1985, where it remains today.
- It is primarily used as a recreational drug, known for typical amphetamine-like effects (increased arousal, mood, and energy) but is distinguished by its prosocial or empathogenic properties.
- In its recreational use, it is frequently called ecstasy or molly and is administered while listening to dance music.
- However, illicitly sold ‘ecstasy’ or ‘molly’ is frequently adulterated with other substances, including stimulants, synthetic cathinones, or adulterants, leading to variable effects and increased risk.
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Last updated: September 27, 2025
Citation
Sloan, Allyson, and Sandeep Nayak. "MDMA." Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide, The Johns Hopkins University, 2025. Johns Hopkins Guides, www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787487/all/MDMA.
Sloan A, Nayak S. MDMA. Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2025. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787487/all/MDMA. Accessed October 8, 2025.
Sloan, A., & Nayak, S. (2025). MDMA. In Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide. The Johns Hopkins University. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787487/all/MDMA
Sloan A, Nayak S. MDMA [Internet]. In: Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2025. [cited 2025 October 08]. Available from: https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787487/all/MDMA.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
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