Hyperthermia induced by psychomotor stimulants may cause leakage of the blood-brain barrier, vasogenic edema, and lethality in extreme cases. Current treatments such as whole-body cooling are only symptomatic and a clear need to develop pharmacological interventions exists. Dantrolene sodium, a peripheral muscle relaxant used in the treatment of malignant hyperthermia, has been proposed as...
MDMA (Ecstasy) is an illicit drug used by young adults at hot, crowed "rave" parties, yet the data on potential health hazards of its abuse remain controversial. Here, we examined the effect of MDMA on temperature homeostasis in male rats under standard laboratory conditions and under conditions that simulate drug use in humans. We chronically implanted thermocouple microsensors in the nucleus...
Abstract Drugs of abuse, such as 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), often have more powerful effects during states of increased activation and under specific environmental conditions. Because hyperthermia is a major complication of MDMA use and a factor potentiating neurotoxicity, we examined the effects of this drug (9 mg/kg, sc; approximately one‐fifth of the known LD 50 in rats) on...