According to a new study, using ecstasy may have a long lasting effect on memory loss even after you stop using it. Other studies have found that ecstasy damages brain serotonin (5-HT) neurons in animals, which are linked to memory function.

"In the longer term, research shows that ecstasy can cause lasting changes in the brain's chemical systems that control mood and memory," said Dr. Alan I. Leshner, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

According to a study published in the October issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, while these brain neurons may eventually recover, harm to your memory function may be long lasting.

Researchers from the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, examined the brain neurons and memory function of 51 participants. Twenty-two of the participants had recently used ecstasy, 16 had stopped using ecstasy for at least one year and there was a control group of 13 non users.

While the brain abnormalities were different between current and past users, the loss of memory was similar when compared to the control group.

"The present study suggests that, while the neurotoxic effects of MDMA on 5-HT neurons in the human cortex may be reversible, the effects of MDMA on memory function may be long-lasting," the study authors concluded.

Scientists and researchers convened at a conference in July to focus on the drug ecstasy, it?s long-term consequences, drug interactions, patterns of abuse, risk perceptions, and implications for prevention and treatment research.

"The latest research shows that ecstasy, despite its name, is not a harmless 'party' drug. In the short term, ecstasy can cause dramatic changes in heart rate and blood pressure, dehydration, and a potentially life-threatening increase in body temperature," said Leshner.