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Cited by 144Psychedelics and Drug StudiesNeuroendocrine regulation and behaviorNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

MDMA enhances “mind reading” of positive emotions and impairs “mind reading” of negative emotions

Hysek, Cédric M., Domes, Gregor, Liechti, Matthias E.·2012·Psychopharmacology
DOI 10.1007/s00213-012-2645-9
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Abstract

Rationale 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) increases sociability. The prosocial effects of MDMA may result from the release of the "social hormone" oxytocin and associated alterations in the processing of socioemotional stimuli.Materials and methods We investigated the effects of MDMA (125 mg) on the ability to infer the mental states of others from social cues of the eye region in the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test. The study included 48 healthy volunteers (24 men, 24 women) and used a double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects design. A choice reaction time test was used to exclude impairments in psychomotor function. We also measured circulating oxytocin and cortisol levels and subjective drug effects.Results MDMA differentially affected mind reading depending on the emotional valence of the stimuli. MDMA enhanced the accuracy of mental state decoding for positive stimuli (e.g., friendly), impaired mind reading for negative stimuli (e.g., hostile), and had no effect on mind reading for neutral stimuli (e.g., reflective). MDMA did not affect psychomotor performance, increased circulating oxytocin and cortisol levels, and produced subjective prosocial effects, including feelings of being more open, talkative, and closer to others.Conclusions The shift in the ability to correctly read socioemotional information toward stimuli associated with positive emotional valence, together with the prosocial feelings elicited by MDMA, may enhance social approach behavior and sociability when MDMA is used recreationally and facilitate therapeutic relationships in MDMA-assisted psychotherapeutic settings.

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  • A third study reported that MDMA at 125 mg increased the recognition of positive and decreased the identification of negative emotions.

    “However, a third study reported that MDMA (125 mg) increased the recognition of positive and decreased the identification of negative emotions (54).”

    From Modulation of Social Cognition via Hallucinogens and “Entactogens” (2019) · cites this paper as [54]

  • In one study, MDMA decreased the decoding of negative emotions from the eye region while at the same time increasing this ability for positive stimuli.

    “In one study, MDMA decreased the decoding of negative emotions from the eye region, while at the same time increasing this ability for positive stimuli (54).”

    From Modulation of Social Cognition via Hallucinogens and “Entactogens” (2019) · cites this paper as [54]

  • Neither duloxetine, reboxetine, nor clonidine blocked the observed increases in decoding accuracy for positive and impaired decoding accuracy for negative stimuli on the RMET after MDMA administration.

    “A further study showed that neither duloxetine, which inhibits MDMA-induced monoamine transporter-dependent serotonin and norepinephrine release, reboxetine, which inhibits MDMA-induced norepinephrine release, nor clonidine, which inhibits MDMA-induced transporter-independent vesicular release of norepinephrine, blocked the observed increases in decoding accuracy for positive and impaired decoding”

    From Modulation of Social Cognition via Hallucinogens and “Entactogens” (2019) · cites this paper as [54]

  • Duloxetine was most effective in reducing the acute subjective MDMA effects, implicating the serotonin system as a key mechanism of action.

    “However, duloxetine was most effective in reducing the acute subjective MDMA effects, implicating the serotonin system as a key mechanism of action (54).”

    From Modulation of Social Cognition via Hallucinogens and “Entactogens” (2019) · cites this paper as [54]

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Authors
Hysek, C. M., Domes, G., & Liechti, M. E.
Affiliations
  • University of Basel (CH)
  • University of Freiburg (DE)
Corresponding author
Liechti, Matthias E.
ORCID
Venue
Psychopharmacology
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2012-01-27
Volume
222
Issue
2
Pages
293-302
ISSN
  • 0033-3158 (ISSN-L)
  • 1432-2072
DOI
10.1007/s00213-012-2645-9
OpenAlex
W2000881947
Cited by
144
References
54
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 4
FWCI
17.42
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
  • Psychopharmacology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • FreiDok plus (Universitätsbibliothek Freiburg) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychedelics and Drug Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
MDMA, ecstasy, theory of mind, emotion recognition, positive emotions, negative emotions, emotional valence, oxytocin, cortisol, prosocial behavior, sociability, Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test, MDMA-assisted psychotherapy
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Double-Blind Method, Emotions, Empathy, Eye, Facial Expression, Female, Hallucinogens, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Male, Oxytocin, Prospective Studies, Psychomotor Performance, Reaction Time, N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine, Young Adult

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