A single night of taking the drug Ecstasy can cause serious brain damage and hasten the onset of Parkinson's disease, scientists say.

Just two to three Ecstasy tablets - a quantity that thousands of clubbers take during raves - can permanently destroy brain cells that affect movement and reasoning, according to American research that links the drug to Parkinson's for the first time.

A study by a team at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, involving squirrel monkeys and baboons found that both species of primate suffered irreversible damage to key cells called dopamine neurons, which are lost in Parkinson's, after receiving three low doses of Ecstasy at three-hour intervals.

The study is particularly significant because baboons are one of the best animal models for the human brain. George Ricaurte, who led the research, said that widespread abuse of the drug may already be claiming victims of such neurological damage. "The most troubling implication is that young adults using Ecstasy may be increasing their risk for developing Parkinsonism as they get older."

Alan Leshner, a former director of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse, said: "This study emphasises the multi-faceted damage that Ecstasy can do to users. We've long known that repeated use damages serotonin brain cells. This study shows that even very occasional use can have long-lasting effects on many different brain systems. It sends an important message to young people: don't experiment with your own brain."

Janet Betts, the Essex mother whose daughter Leah died after a single Ecstasy tablet in 1995, said: "This comes as no surprise. People can't see the effects at first, and they're in permanent denial, saying it's not going to happen to them. But we'll see the symptoms later, just as we have with smoking."

(Agencies)