MDMA and Alcohol Effects, Combined and Alone, on Objective and Subjective Measures of Actual Driving Performance and Psychomotor Function

Ecstasy (MDMA), a party drug often abused by young people today, is frequently used in combination with other drugs such as marijuana and alcohol. In addition, a substantial proportion of MDMA users have claimed to drive a car when under the influence of MDMA. This paper aimed to assess the effects of MDMA and alcohol, combined and alone, on actual driving performance and laboratory tasks related to driving. 18 healthy subjects participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 6-way crossover study. Treatments consisted of MDMA 0, 75, and 100 mg, with and without alcohol, aiming at 0.06 mg/ml BAC. Lab tests (critical tracking task, object movement estimation task) were conducted between 1.5 and 2 hrs postdrug (0.5 and 1 hr post-alcohol). Actual driving tests (road tracking test, car-following test) were conducted between 3 and 5 hrs post-drug (2 and 4 hrs post-alcohol). Subjects completed the addiction research center inventory (ARCI) and rated their driving quality and mental effort during driving. Results indicate 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 seem to support objective data. It is concluded that 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 on driving related performance.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00333158
• Authors:
  • Kuypers, K P C
  • Samyn, N
  • Ramaekers, J G
• Publication Date: 2006-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 467-475
• Serial:
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Volume: 187
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Springer Publishing Company
  • ISSN: 0033-3158
  • EISSN: 1432-2072
  • Serial URL: http://www.springerlink.com/content/0033-3158/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alcohol abuse; Alcohol effects; Automobile driving; Crash causes; Drug abuse; Drug effects; Drugged drivers; Drunk driving; High risk drivers; Marijuana
• Identifier Terms: Ecstasy (Drug)
• Uncontrolled Terms: Club drugs; Driving performance; Psychomotor function
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01053713
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 20 2007 9:55AM