Ibogaine, an indole alkaloid that causes hallucinations, tremor, and ataxia, produces cerebellar neurotoxicity in rats, manifested by degeneration of Purkinje cells aligned in narrow parasagittal bands that are coextensive with activated glial cells. Harmaline, a closely related alkaloid that excites inferior olivary neurons, causes the same pattern of Purkinje cell degeneration, providing a...
The cytotoxic effects of amphetamine derivatives were studied by immunocytochemistry to identify the cellular compartments affected by these drugs, to obtain morphologic evidence of neuronal degeneration, and to assess the potential for regeneration. The substituted amphetamines, MDA, MDMA, PCA, and fenfluramine, all release serotonin and cause acute depletion of 5-HT from most axon terminals...
The psychotropic amphetamine derivatives 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) have been used for recreational and therapeutic purposes in man. In rats, these drugs cause large reductions in brain levels of serotonin (5-HT). This study employs immunocytochemistry to characterize the neurotoxic effects of these compounds upon monoaminergic neurons in...