The effects of Ecstasy more pronounced in presence of music

This drug called “Ecstasy” which has become the rage of dance lovers in discos has been found to work more vigorously in presence of music.

Ecstasy was first synthesised in 1910. It was patented two years later by the German company Merck Pharmaceuticals as an appetite suppressant.

The study finds that loud music exacerbates the effects of ecstasy on the brain.

The study was conducted by Italian scientists on rats. Who were given the drug and then exposed to music at nightclub noise levels.

The measurement of electrical activity in the rats' brains was done and it was found that noise prolonged the effects of ecstasy by up to five days.

Biomed Central Neuroscience features the study which showed music worsened users' "comedown".

The reason to take the drug is to produce feelings of euphoria and energy, and a desire to socialise. Long term use has been linked to memory loss and depression.

Dr Michelangelo Iannone, who led the research said,” The effects of the drug could be made more potent by relatively common environmental factors and stressed the potential danger for man of substances that have been so popularly accepted as relatively safe owing to their short term effects."

According to Martin Barnes, chief executive of the drugs information charity DrugScope "Ecstasy is very much associated with the clubbing and dance scene and users report a heightened sense of awareness and a greater appreciation of music and their surroundings. After taking ecstasy users may feel tired and low and this may last several days leading to a 'mid-week hangover'. Short-term memory can be impaired and there is emerging evidence that prolonged use can lead to periods of depression. This research suggests that exposure to loud music may worsen the comedown but it is unclear how this may contribute to longer term effects."

Staggering figures are that 10 deaths are linked to ecstasy use each year.