Neuropharmacology
December 2011
Erica Y Shen, Syed F Ali, Jerrold S Meyer
Most recreational users of 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "ecstasy") also take cannabis, in part because cannabis can reduce the dysphoric symptoms of the ecstasy come-down such as agitation and insomnia. Although previous animal studies have examined the acute effects of co-administering MDMA and Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the major psychoactive ingredient in...
Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology
April 2008
Brian J Piper, Joseph B Fraiman, Cullen B Owens et al.
High or repeated doses of the recreational drug 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, or 'Ecstasy') produce long-lasting deficits in several markers of serotonin (5-HT) system integrity and also alter behavioral function. However, it is not yet clear whether MDMA-induced serotonergic neurotoxicity is responsible for these behavioral changes or whether other mechanisms are involved. The...
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
August 1, 2006
Jerrold S. Meyer, Matthew E. Brevard, Brian J. Piper et al.
40 citations
Abstract: We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the acute effects of a recreational dose (1 mg/kg p.o.) of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on regional brain activity in awake, restrained marmoset monkeys. In a second study, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and postmortem measurements of serotonin transporter (SERT) binding and serotonin (5‐HT)...
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
October 1, 2004
Yossef Itzhak, Karen L. Anderson, Syed F. Ali
31 citations
A bstract : It has been shown that mice deficient in neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) gene are resistant to cocaine‐induced psychomotor sensitization and methamphetamine (METH)‐induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity. The present study was undertaken to investigate the hypothesis that nNOS has a major role in dopamine (DA)‐ but not serotonin (5‐hydroxytryptamine; 5‐HT)‐mediated effects of...
International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience
June 5, 2004
Jerrold S. Meyer, Mark Grande, Kenneth M. Johnson et al.
50 citations
Abstract 3,4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine damages fine serotonergic fibers and nerve terminals in adult organisms. Developing animals seem to be less susceptible to this effect, possibly due to a lack of drug‐induced hyperthermia. We tested this hypothesis by producing hyperthermia in neonatal rats for 2 h after each of twice‐daily MDMA (10 mg/kg s.c.) or saline injections administered from...
Neurotoxicology
June 2003
John F Bowyer, John F Young, William Slikker et al.
Plasma levels of parent compounds and metabolites were determined in adult rhesus monkeys after doses of either 5mg/kg d-fenfluramine (FEN) or 10mg/kg d-3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) i.m. twice daily for four consecutive days. These treatment regimens have been previously shown to produce long-term serotonin (5-HT) depletions. Peak plasma levels of 2.0+/-0.4 microM FEN were reached...
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
June 1, 2002
B. Gough, Syed Z. Imam, Bruce E. Blough et al.
47 citations
A bstract : Paramethoxyamphetamine (PMA) is a methoxylated phenethylamine derivative that has been used illicitly in Australia since 1994. PMA is also becoming popular at rave parties in the United States. PMA raised concern when a series of fatalities resulted after its use in South Australia, where it was marketed as “ecstasy,” which is the colloquial name for MDMA. In the present study, we...
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
June 1, 2002
Jerrold S. Meyer, Syed F. Ali
25 citations
A bstract : The abused drug 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) damages fine serotonergic fibers and nerve terminals in adult organisms; however, developing animals seem less susceptible to this effect. One proposed hypothesis is that neonates are less sensitive to MDMA neurotoxicity because they fail to show drug‐induced hyperthermia. We tested this hypothesis by producing hyperthermia in...
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
June 1, 2002
Emmanuel S Onaivi, Syed F. Ali, Sanika S Chirwa et al.
23 citations
The mapping of the human genetic code will enable us to identify potential gene products involved in human addictions and diseases that have hereditary components. Thus, large-scale, parallel gene-expression studies, made possible by advances in microarray technologies, have shown insights into the connection between specific genes, or sets of genes, and human diseases. The compulsive use of...
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
May 1, 1998
David Frederick, Syed F. Ali, Michael Gillam et al.
32 citations
ABSTRACT: The acute behavioral effects of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and dexfenfluramine (d‐FEN) were assessed in six rhesus monkeys using performance in the National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) Operant Test Battery (OTB); three additional animals served as controls for neurochemical endpoints. The OTB consists of five food‐reinforced tasks designed to model aspects of...
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
May 1, 1998
Yossef Itzhak, Syed F. Ali
20 citations
Although the alkaloid ibogaine is a potent hallucinogenic agent some indications suggest that it may be useful for the treatment of opioid and cocaine addiction. The neurochemical mechanism(s) underlying ibogaine effects remain unclear. In the present study we investigated the interaction of ibogaine with the phencyclidine (PCP) site located in the ionophore of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)...
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
May 1, 1998
Zbigniew Binienda, Michael A Beaudoin, Brett T Thorn et al.
13 citations
Ibogaine (IBO) is a psychoactive indole alkaloid that has antiaddictive properties. However, treatment with IBO may lead to neurotoxicity, since IBO and its metabolites interact persistently with many neurotransmitter systems. Here, we recorded cortical electroencephalogram (EEG) signals from rats anesthetized with isoflurane. The heart rate (HR) was monitored via electrocardiogram (EKG)...
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
May 1, 1998
Emmanuel S Onaivi, Syed F. Ali, Amitabha Chakrabarti
13 citations
Ibogaine may have antiaddiction potential against alcohol, psychostimulant and opiate abuse, but its mechanism of action is unclear. Ibogaine, however, has been demonstrated in numerous studies to have effects in multiple central nervous system (CNS) neurotransmitters systems. We are using in vitro and in vivo systems to study the effects of cocaine and whether these effects can be blocked by...
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
May 1, 1998
Michael H. Baumann, Richard B Rothman, Syed F. Ali
11 citations
Ibogaine (IBO) is a naturally-occurring indole compound that is being evaluated as a potential medication for substance use disorders. Although the precise mechanism of IBO action is unclear, recent in vitro data show this drug displays properties similar to the noncompetitive N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist MK-801. The purpose of the present work was to compare In Vivo neurobiological...
Synapse
October 1, 1995
Jean Lud Cadet, Bruce Ladenheim, Hiroshi Hirata et al.
81 citations
Abstract The subacute and long‐term biochemical effects of methylenedioxymeth‐amphetamine (MDMA) were assessed in homozygous and heterozygous transgenic (Tg) mice that carry the complete sequence of the human copper‐zinc (CuZn) superoxide dismutase (SOD) gene. Non‐transgenic (Non‐Tg) mice showed significant decreased in striatal dopamine (DA) and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) levels both...