RATIONALE: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a widely abused illicit drug. In animals, high-dose administration of MDMA produces deficits in serotonin (5-HT) neurons (e.g., depletion of forebrain 5-HT) that have been interpreted as neurotoxicity. Whether such 5-HT deficits reflect neuronal damage is a matter of ongoing debate. OBJECTIVE: The present paper reviews four specific issues...
Abstract Previous experiments conducted in this laboratory showed that administration of high‐dose D‐fenfluramine (D‐FEN) and p‐chloroamphetamine (PCA) decreased 5‐HT transporter (SERT) binding and tissue 5‐HT by 30–60% in caudate and whole brain tissue 2 days and 2 weeks after drug administration. However, protein expression as determined by Western blot analysis did not change in either...