1. ¹School of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
2. ²School of Psychology, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia

Correspondence: Dr PE Mallet, School of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia. Tel: +61 2 6773 3725; Fax: +61 2 6773 3820; E-mail: paul.mallet@une.edu.au

Received 20 May 2004; Accepted 28 December 2004; Published online 16 February 2005.

Abstract

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'Ecstasy') and cannabis are two of the most commonly used illicit drugs in the western world, and are often used in combination. Very little research has examined their effect on cognitive function or behavior when combined. The present study used a double Y-maze task to examine the acute effect of MDMA and ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the principal psychoactive ingredient of cannabis) on mnemonic function in rats, at a range of doses representative of common human use. Experiment 1 (low doses) examined the effect of 0.25 mg/kg THC and 1.25 mg/kg MDMA alone and together. At these doses MDMA or THC given alone had no effect on working memory, but the co-administered drugs significantly disrupted working memory. Experiment 2 (medium doses) examined the effect of 0.5 mg/kg THC and 2.5 mg/kg MDMA given alone or together. At these doses THC, but not MDMA, impaired working memory. Although MDMA alone had no effect, it exacerbated the impairment due to THC when the drugs were co-administered. Experiment 3 (high doses) examined the effects of 1 mg/kg THC and 5 mg/kg MDMA alone and together. Both drugs significantly impaired memory when given alone, although the impairment due to MDMA was less than that caused by THC. When co-administered at these doses, the drugs caused a major disruption of behavior and this precluded ascribing a mnemonic cause to poor performance on the double Y-maze task. Taken together, these experiments demonstrate a synergistic disruption of working memory by acute co-administration of THC and MDMA.