The Neurological Effects of Electronic Music and Ecstasy Use
Date
2011
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Haverford College. Department of Psychology
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Thesis
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Language
eng
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Abstract
This paper reviews developments in the study of the club drug Ecstasy (MDMA; 3,4- methylenedioxymethamphetamine) from a neuroscientific perspective. Electronic music is associated with club culture and the rave movements in the 1980s, and is consistently listened to in conjunction with Ecstasy use. Studies suggest that MDMA can have severe averse effects on the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems. The drug also increases energy levels and facilitates social bonding, all of which are key components of the club scene. This thesis suggests that enjoyment of electronic music and MDMA consumption are associated with each other because their effects are complementary and both involve reward processing. Little is known about the mechanisms by which this synergy occurs, and future research should examine this notion further.