Mood and impulsivity of recreational Ecstasy users in the week following a "rave"

Two days following widely attended "rave" or dance party events, questionnaires assessing mood (Beck Depression Inventory, or BDI-II) and impulsivity (Impulsiveness, Venturesomeness and Empathy Scale, or IVE) were completed by 43 attendees who reported using Ecstasy at the events, and by 31 Ecstasy-naïve controls who attended the same events. Participants who had taken Ecstasy at the events were significantly more depressed two days later than controls, according to analysis of their BDI-II scores. There was no group difference in impulsivity as measured by the IVE. Levels of self-reported Ecstasy use were not related to depression or impulsivity scores. Results are considered in terms of the hypothetical mood effect of short-term depletion of serotonin induced by MDMA, as well as several alternative non-pharmacological explanations.