Scientists retract ecstasy drug finding.Researchers at Johns Hopkins Noun 1. Johns Hopkins - United States financier and philanthropist who left money to found the university and hospital that bear his name in Baltimore (1795-1873) Hopkins 2. Medical Institutions in Baltimore have recanted a controversial report on the dangers of the drug commonly called ecstasy. The scientists reported in the Sept. 27, 2002 Science that one-time use of the mind-altering drug can severely impair the body's processing of dopamine dopamine (dōp`əmēn), one of the intermediate substances in the biosynthesis of epinephrine and norepinephrine. See catecholamine. dopamine One of the catecholamines, widely distributed in the central nervous system. , an important brain chemical. The original paper suggested that ecstasy, technically known as methylenedioxymethamphetamine, could cause brain damage and death in lab animals at doses comparable to those taken by some teens. The team, led by George Ricaurte, formally retracted re·tract v. re·tract·ed, re·tract·ing, re·tracts v.tr. 1. To take back; disavow: refused to retract the statement. 2. that finding in the Sept. 12 Science after discovering that most of the drug doses administered to monkeys and baboons in the experiment were methamphetamine, not ecstasy. The researchers attribute the mix-up to mislabeled mis·la·bel tr.v. mis·la·beled also mis·la·belled, mis·la·bel·ing also mis·la·bel·ling, mis·la·bels also mis·la·bels To label inaccurately. Adj. 1. vials from the supplier of the chemicals. Even so, ecstasy still can be a bummer bum·mer n. 1. Slang An adverse reaction to a hallucinogenic drug. 2. Slang One that depresses, frustrates, or disappoints: Getting stranded at the airport was a real bummer. . Unchallenged research has suggested that long-term ecstasy use erodes people's memories (SN: 5/5/01, p. 280).--B.H. |
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