MDMA and alcohol effects, combined and alone, on objective and subjective measures of actual driving performance and psychomotor function

Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2006 Sep;187(4):467-75. doi: 10.1007/s00213-006-0434-z. Epub 2006 Jul 8.

Abstract

Rationale: The party drug ecstasy is frequently used in combination with other drugs like marihuana and alcohol. In addition, a substantial proportion of the MDMA users has claimed to drive a car when under the influence of MDMA and/or other drugs.

Objective: To assess the effects of MDMA and alcohol, combined and alone, on actual driving performance and laboratory tasks related to driving.

Methods: Eighteen healthy subjects participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, six-way cross-over study. Treatments consisted of MDMA 0, 75, and 100 mg with and without alcohol, aiming at 0.06 mg/ml BAC. Laboratory tests (critical tracking task, object movement estimation task) were conducted between 1.5 and 2 h postdrug (0.5 and 1 h postalcohol). Actual driving tests (road tracking test, car-following test) were conducted between 3 and 5 h postdrug (2 and 4 h postalcohol). Subjects completed the addiction research center inventory (ARCI) and rated their driving quality and mental effort during driving.

Results: Alcohol alone impaired critical tracking performance, as well as a number of actual driving performance parameters [i.e., standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP), brake reaction time, and coherence]. MDMA alone reduced SDLP and standard deviation of speed. MDMA significantly moderated alcohol induced impairment of road tracking performance but did not affect alcohol impairments of car-following and laboratory task performance. Subjective data seemed to support objective data.

Conclusion: MDMA moderated the impairing effects of a low dose of alcohol on road tracking performance but it could not overcome alcohol-induced impairment on other aspects of driving behavior or driving related performance.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Attention / drug effects
  • Automobile Driving*
  • Central Nervous System Depressants / adverse effects*
  • Central Nervous System Depressants / blood
  • Central Nervous System Depressants / pharmacokinetics
  • Cross-Over Studies
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Drug Interactions
  • Ethanol / adverse effects*
  • Ethanol / blood
  • Ethanol / pharmacokinetics
  • Hallucinogens / adverse effects*
  • Hallucinogens / blood
  • Hallucinogens / pharmacokinetics
  • Humans
  • N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / adverse effects*
  • N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / blood
  • N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / pharmacokinetics
  • Psychomotor Performance / drug effects*
  • Reaction Time / drug effects
  • Reference Values
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Central Nervous System Depressants
  • Hallucinogens
  • Ethanol
  • N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine