RESUMO
In recent years the illicit drug ecstasy (MDMA, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) has come into widespread use among young people. Despite clear evidence for the neurotoxic potential of MDMA in animals, corresponding evidence in humans is limited to indirect findings. In an exploratory study we compared the hippocampal 1H-MRSI (magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging) spectra of five MDMA users with those of controls with no history of substance abuse. Although 1H
Assuntos
Ácido Aspártico/análogos & derivados , Hipocampo/efeitos dos fármacos , Espectroscopia de Ressonância Magnética , N-Metil-3,4-Metilenodioxianfetamina/efeitos adversos , Serotoninérgicos/efeitos adversos , Transtornos Relacionados ao Uso de Substâncias/diagnóstico , Adulto , Ácido Aspártico/efeitos dos fármacos , Química Encefálica/efeitos dos fármacos , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Colina , Creatina/efeitos dos fármacos , Hipocampo/metabolismo , HumanosRESUMO
Pedophilia is a complex bio-psycho-social disorder often associated with serious offending. Knowledge about neurobiological correlates that could serve as diagnostic and maybe even as prognostic markers is limited. FMRI examination, which shows neuronal activation in vivo and therefore represents a neurobiological correlate, was not done in pedophilia so far. We report on results of an fMRI examination in a homosexual pedophilic sex offender who differed significantly in neuronal activation during exposure to arousing visual material (young boys in underwear) from normal controls. In self assessment on a visual analogous scale the pedophilic offender scored the pictures of the boys as not being interesting and sexually not stimulating. Nevertheless presentation of the pictures of the boys resulted in the pedophilic offender in a significant activation of the attention network and the right orbitofrontal cortex. In contrast to the controls there was no activation of left hemispheric areas relevant for speech. The study design will be continued in a larger sample to examine whether there is a possible neurobiological correlate of pedophilia which can be changed by therapeutic interventions.