Toxicology Letters
February 4, 2013
Patrícia Silva Ferreira, Tiago Bernandes Nogueira, Vera Marisa Costa et al.
"Ecstasy" (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine or MDMA) is a widely abused recreational drug, reported to produce neurotoxic effects, both in laboratory animals and in humans. MDMA metabolites can be major contributors for MDMA neurotoxicity. This work studied the neurotoxicity of MDMA and its catechol metabolites, α-methyldopamine (α-MeDA) and N-methyl-α-methyldopamine (N-Me-α-MeDA) in human...
Neurotoxicology
January 2013
João Paulo Capela, Silvana Da Costa Araújo, Vera Marisa Costa et al.
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "Ecstasy") and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine hydrochloride (DOI) are hallucinogenic amphetamines with addictive properties. The hippocampus is involved in learning and memory and seems particularly vulnerable to amphetamine's neurotoxicity. We evaluated the neurotoxicity of DOI and MDMA in primary neuronal cultures of hippocampus obtained from Wistar...
Brain Research
January 25, 2011
Karsten Ruscher, Eduarda Fernandes, João Paulo Capela et al.
Along with chronic neurotoxic effects, the long-term consumption of amphetamines has been associated to psychiatric symptoms and memory disturbances. Dendritic spine dynamics have been discussed as a possible morphological correlate. However, the underlying mechanisms are still elusive. 3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), a major drug of abuse and a main metabolite after...
Molecular Neurobiology
June 1, 2009
João Paulo Capela, Helena Carmo, Fernando Remião et al.
“Ecstasy” [(±)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, MDMA, XTC, X, E] is a psychoactive recreational hallucinogenic substance and a major worldwide drug of abuse. Several reports raised the concern that MDMA has the ability to induce neurotoxic effects both in laboratory animals and humans. Despite more than two decades of research, the mechanisms by which MDMA is neurotoxic are still to be fully...
Neurotoxicology
July 2007
João Paulo Capela, Eduarda Fernandes, Fernando Remião et al.
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "Ecstasy") is a psychoactive and hallucinogenic drug of abuse. MDMA has been shown to produce neurotoxicity both in animals and humans. MDMA and other amphetamines induce serotonergic and dopaminergic terminal neurotoxicity and also neurodegeneration in areas including the cortex, hippocampus, striatum and thalamus. Herein, we investigated the...
Neuroscience
June 8, 2007
J P Capela, Carla Macedo, P S Branco et al.
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "ecstasy"), is a widely abused, psychoactive recreational drug that is known to induce neurotoxic effects. Human and rat hepatic metabolism of MDMA involves N-demethylation to 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), which is also a drug of abuse. MDMA and MDA are O-demethylenated to N-methyl-alpha-methyldopamine (N-Me-alpha-MeDA) and alpha-methyldopamine...
Neuroscience
2006
J P Capela, Karsten Ruscher, M Lautenschlager et al.
Studies on 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ("ecstasy")-induced neurotoxicity mainly focus on damage of serotonergic terminals. Less attention has been given to neuronal cell death produced by 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and other amphetamines in areas including the cortex, striatum and thalamus. In the present study we investigated 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity...
Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
January 2006
João Paulo Capela, Andreas Meisel, Artur Reis Abreu et al.
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "Ecstasy") is a widely abused, psychoactive recreational drug. There is growing evidence that the MDMA neurotoxic profile may be highly dependent on both its hepatic metabolism and body temperature. Metabolism of MDMA involves N-demethylation to 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), which is also a drug of abuse. MDMA and MDA are O-demethylenated to...