Loud music makes ecstasy last longer
Loud music prolongs the effects of the party drug ecstasy in rats by up to five days. This is the conclusion reached by a research team led by Michelangelo Iannone from the Institute for Neuroscience and the Magna Graeca University in Catanzaro.
The scientists had recorded the brain waves of the animals to which they had previously administered the ecstasy active ingredient methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA) in different doses. They also exposed some test animals to so-called white noise. The rhythm of the noise and the volume of 95 decibels were measured in such a way that the sensory impression was comparable to the conditions in a discotheque, according to the researchers.
The effect of the designer drug can be demonstrated by measuring electrical brain waves. In the method known as electro-encephalography (EEG), electrodes are placed in the test animals, with which the voltage fluctuations of the brain can be derived.
If the rats had a high dose of ecstasy in their blood, brain activity decreased significantly, but returned to the original level after one day. However, if the test animals were exposed to continuous sonication, the synthetic drug worked for up to five days. Even when the dose was halved, the techno rats stayed high for considerably longer than their colleagues in quieter surroundings. Loud noise alone without the addition of ecstasy, on the other hand, had no effect on the rats' brain waves. From this, the researchers conclude that the loud music significantly prolongs the effect of the designer drug.
Ecstasy is a popular stimulant in the techno scene as it gives users euphoric feelings and seemingly unlimited energy. It's cheap to make and often underestimated. In fact, its consumption is psychologically addictive and can result in permanent brain damage, extreme sleep disorders, heart damage and loss of reality, among other things.
