Ecstacy as Parkinsons treatment?
- Thread starter Mark Sun
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Ecstasy as a brain booster for Parkinson's?
Previous human studies have suggested that ecstasy is bad for the brain because it damages serotonin signalling neurons, which play a role in memory. When Jack Lipton of the University of Cincinnati and his colleagues gave pregnant rats the drug they found no signs of damage in newborn pups.
Instead, they saw a threefold rise in the number of dopamine producing cells. These cells were also more highly branched and developed than normal, suggesting they functioned better.
Similarly, when cultured embryonic dopamine cells were exposed to ecstasy, roughly three times as many cells survived. The effect didn't vary much with increasing concentration, although particularly high doses did kill the brain cells.
Lipton believes that ecstasy prevents the programmed cell death that normally occurs when neurons are stressed, as happens in certain degenerative diseases including Parkinson's, and in cell cultures.
Lipton suggests that some promising new ecstasy-like drugs might one day be used to boost dopamine-producing cells in people with Parkinson's - without damaging other neurons in the brain. The work was presented at a meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Atlanta, Georgia, last week.
From issue 2575 of New Scientist magazine, 27 October 2006, page 17
- 27 October 2006
- NewScientist.com news service
Previous human studies have suggested that ecstasy is bad for the brain because it damages serotonin signalling neurons, which play a role in memory. When Jack Lipton of the University of Cincinnati and his colleagues gave pregnant rats the drug they found no signs of damage in newborn pups.
Instead, they saw a threefold rise in the number of dopamine producing cells. These cells were also more highly branched and developed than normal, suggesting they functioned better.
Similarly, when cultured embryonic dopamine cells were exposed to ecstasy, roughly three times as many cells survived. The effect didn't vary much with increasing concentration, although particularly high doses did kill the brain cells.
Lipton believes that ecstasy prevents the programmed cell death that normally occurs when neurons are stressed, as happens in certain degenerative diseases including Parkinson's, and in cell cultures.
Lipton suggests that some promising new ecstasy-like drugs might one day be used to boost dopamine-producing cells in people with Parkinson's - without damaging other neurons in the brain. The work was presented at a meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Atlanta, Georgia, last week.
From issue 2575 of New Scientist magazine, 27 October 2006, page 17
i remember at one time there was this scientist (Ricaurte) who tried to say that ecstacy increased the risk of getting parkinsons.. then two years later he had to say his study was flawed because he actually didn't use MDMA in his study (but does that get big media attention? 
)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3089350.stm
now it can cure it... ha ha!
)http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3089350.stm
now it can cure it... ha ha!
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On another note, I saw a study the other day which showed that because of the anti-inflamatory properties of marijuana, people who smoked earlier in life are much less likely to develope alzheimers. Apparently it has something to do with the ability of thc to cross the blood brain barrier. I have decided that the risks are too great to not self medicate
On another note, I saw a study the other day which showed that because of the anti-inflamatory properties of marijuana, people who smoked earlier in life are much less likely to develope alzheimers. Apparently it has something to do with the ability of thc to cross the blood brain barrier. I have decided that the risks are too great to not self medicate
My best friend has a terminal neurodegenative illness and he is being treated with marijuana in a experimental programm.