MDMA enhances empathy-like behaviors in mice via 5-HT release in the nucleus accumbens.
Science Advances April 26, 2024 Ben Rein, Kendall Raymond, Cali Boustani et al. 37 citations
MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a psychoactive drug with powerful prosocial effects. While MDMA is sometimes termed an "empathogen," empirical studies have struggled to clearly demonstrate these effects or pinpoint underlying mechanisms. Here, we paired the social transfer of pain and analgesia-behavioral tests modeling empathy in mice-with region-specific neuropharmacology,...