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Hampton U. gets grant to study Ecstasy's effects By PHILIP WALZER, The Virginian-Pilot June 21, 2003 Hampton University has won a $2.1 million federal grant to study Ecstasy -- a drug whose effects have mystified scientists and have been downplayed by users. ``There's a huge gap in knowledge in terms of why does Ecstasy do what it does,'' said Hugh M. McLean, chairman of Hampton's department of pharmaceutical sciences. ``If nothing else, we'll be able to educate the public by saying, `` `When you take this drug, such and such is going to happen, and it will lead to such and such.' '' Ecstasy, usually taken in pill form, has grown popular with teenagers and young adults at rave parties. An ongoing national study has uncovered sharp rises in Ecstasy use among middle and high school students. In 2001, the study found that 5 percent of eighth graders, 8 percent of tenth graders and 12 percent of seniors had used Ecstasy at least once. Locally, in The Virginian-Pilot's survey of high school seniors this year, 4 percent of students reported they had tried it. The drug's side effects include euphoria, a burst of energy and heightened sexual feelings, McLean said. ``The drug is reputed to be safe,'' he said. ``. . .People are able to live a relatively normal life while they're on Ecstasy, in the short term.'' But repeated users often develop symptoms resembling those of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases as early as their 20s. Ecstasy, like methamphetamine, leads to the destruction of neurons in the brain. Technically, McLean said, it's not the drug itself that destroys brain cells, but its byproducts -- or metabolites -- after it is acted upon by the body's enzymes. Most metabolites are excreted quickly from the body, he said, but those of Ecstasy are transported by the blood to the brain. Why that happens is one of the questions McLean hopes to answer. The work at Hampton will include the synthesis of Ecstasy's metabolites to determine which ones destroy neurons. It also will attempt to identify chemical agents that could block the metabolites' entry into the brain. McLean said researchers might find a way to reduce the harmful side-effects of the drug. He said it's not his role to weigh the moral implications. ``Our project is not to address whether taking Ecstasy is right or wrong or good or bad,'' he said. ``The reality is, there are millions of people out there who are taking it. Perhaps if they knew what the consequences are, that would serve as a deterrent.'' The grant, which will be spread over five years, comes from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a branch of the National Institutes of Health. Officials from NIH were unavailable. Eight faculty members from Hampton, including McLean, will participate in the project, along with student researchers. Reach Philip Walzer at 222-5105 or [log in to unmask] SOURCE: The Virginian-Pilot http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=55814&ran=35334 Reference: Ecstasy - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecstasy Ecstasy found to 'curb Parkinson's disease shaking' http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_704436.html Ecstasy and cannabis may help Parkinson's http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/10/23/1034561551322.html Ecstasy has dramatic effect on Parkinson's symptoms http://www.maps.org/media/newscientist11.6.02.html Ecstasy and Parkinson Disease http://www.parkinson.org/ecstasy.htm Long-Term Neuropsychiatric Consequences of "Ecstasy" (MDMA): A Review http://www.parkinson.org/newsecstasy.htm Ecstasy Links http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/clubdrugs.html Ecstasy research, University of East London http://www.uel.ac.uk/psychology/research/drugs.htm#Ecstasy_MDMA Ecstasy may damage key brain cells http://www.cbc.ca/storyview/CBC/2002/09/27/ecstasy020927 Ecstasy Use Could Trigger Parkinson's Disease http://www.csam-asam.org/ecstacy_and_parkinsons.htm Ecstasy users 'risk Parkinson's disease' http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99992849 US approves first ecstasy trials for 16 years http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991539 Memory problems that plague many older people can affect ecstasy users in their mid-twenties, say British psychologists. http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns9999564 * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn