6 papers in the library · 286 citations · publishing 1992-2012
Encyclopedia of Life Sciences October 15, 2012 Efrain C. Azmitia 2 citations
Abstract Serotonin was discovered in 1949 and has been detected in all living aerobic organisms and in every tissue of the human body. In animals, serotonin functions both as a neurotransmitter and a trophic factor. As a neurotransmitter, serotonin can modify a variety of biological and behavioural functions, including sex, aggression, appetite, locomotor activity, learning and memory, sleep...
Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology September 1997 H K Kramer, J C Poblete, E C Azmitia
This report further characterizes the intermediate metabolic effects of the psychotropic amphetamine derivative, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "ecstasy"), on the activity of second messenger-dependent kinases. Previous work has demonstrated that two injections of MDMA (20 mg/kg) elicits a prolonged translocation of the calcium and phospholipid-dependent enzyme, protein kinase C...
Brain Research May 1, 1995 Jose C Poblete, Efrain C. Azmitia 52 citations
Neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, and ions regulate glycogen levels in the brain by modulating the activity of glycogen synthase (GSase) and glycogen phosphorylase (GPase). GPase is co-localized with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), an astroglia-specific marker, suggesting that glycogen is localized in astroglial cells. Additionally, functional serotonin (5-HT) receptors are found in...
Brain Research May 1, 1995 H Kenneth Kramer, Jose C Poblete, Efrain C. Azmitia 22 citations
The metabolic effects of the neurotoxic, ring-substituted amphetamine 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA or 'Ecstasy') were examined in vivo. In this study, we focused on the ability of MDMA to induce a translocation of the calcium and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase C (PKC) from the cytosol to the cortical plasma membrane. Two injections of MDMA (20 mg/kg; 10 h apart; s.c.)...
Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology July 1994 E T Leonardi, Efrain C. Azmitia
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), a serotonin (5-HT) neurotoxin, has been shown to promote the release of serotonin (5-HT) and block its reuptake. The increased buildup of extracellular 5-HT should normally be degraded by monoamine oxidase (MAO). The effects of both enantiomers of MDMA were examined on MAO-A and monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) activity in rat brain homogenates. Both...
European Journal of Pharmacology May 1, 1992 Urs V. Berger, Xi Gu, Efrain C. Azmitia 210 citations
The abilities of the substituted amphetamines 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), methamphetamine, p-chloroamphetamine (PCA) and fenfluramine to induce synaptosomal [3H]serotonin (5-HT) release were compared using a novel microassay system. The rank order of release potencies was found to be (+/-)PCA congruent to (+)-fenfluramine greater than (+)-MDMA much greater than...