Ecstasy has an impact on an individual’s sensations and behaviours through altering the brain’s chemical balance; the serotonin levels in the brain are increased through altering the reuptake process (Efrain, 2001). When ecstasy—or MDMA (the main psychoactive component of ecstasy)—is introduced to the system, it transforms the natural process of serotonin re uptake that would normally be occurring causing there to be an unnaturally high level of serotonin in the system (Sprague et al 1998). This increase in serotonin is thought to be the cause of many of the effects of ecstasy. This essay will firstly support the view that serotonin is the cause of many of the effects of ecstasy but will then go on to discuss how other neurotransmitters such as dopamine and neuroepherine and hormones are also responsible for some of the effects of ecstasy whilst still maintaining the argument that although other neurotransmitters have certain effects serotonin has the most prominent role in the effects of ecstasy. Although the use of ecstasy may feel psychologically euphoric for the user, the impact on the body is far less positive and can achieve detrimental levels (Sprague et al1998). Previous studies have shown that users who use MDMA for prolonged periods or who use it heavily are more likely to reduce the overall number of serotonin transporters (SERT) that remain capable of bringing the neurotransmitter back to the neuron after it is released (Simon et al, 2002)—this creates a damage to the neurons that release serotonin, causing long term and persistent memory problems more than two weeks after the drug has cleared the system. This is also known as the neurodegeneration hypothesis of MDMA and includes the theory that Mdma causes reduction of tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) which is the enzyme required for 5HT synthesis. Kish et al (2010) compared ecstasy users with non-user