Neurotoxicity Research
August 2010
Laura Orío, Noemi Llopis, Elisa Torres et al.
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'ecstasy') is a selective 5-HT neurotoxin in rat brain which has been shown to produce acute neuroinflammation characterized by activation of microglia and release of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta). We aimed to determine whether or not minocycline, a semi-synthetic tetracycline antibiotic capable of inhibiting microglial activation, could prevent the...
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
August 2009
Guillermo Moreno-Sanz, Esther O'Shea, Laura Orío et al.
Recreational use of (±)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) is often associated with other drugs, among which ethanol (EtOH) is one of the most common. However, little is known about how neurochemical sensitization produced by MDMA can modulate EtOH abuse. In this study we used EtOH operant self-administration tasks to investigate the effect of several low doses (0.33, 1.0 and 3.0...
British Journal of Pharmacology
June 12, 2006
Esther O’shea, Laura Orío, Isabel Escobedo et al.
57 citations
3,4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or ‘ecstasy’) decreases the 5‐HT concentration, [ 3 H]‐paroxetine binding and tryptophan hydroxylase activity in rat forebrain, which has been interpreted as indicating 5‐HT neurodegeneration. This has been questioned, particularly the 5‐HT loss, as MDMA can also inhibit tryptophan hydroxylase. We have now evaluated the validity of these parameters as a...
British Journal of Pharmacology
2005
Isabel Escobedo, Esther O’shea, Laura Orío et al.
68 citations
This study investigated whether the immediate and long‐term effects of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on monoamines in mouse brain are due to the parent compound and the possible contribution of a major reactive metabolite, 3,4‐dihydroxymethamphetamine (HHMA), to these changes. The acute effect of each compound on rectal temperature was also determined. MDMA given i.p. (30 mg kg −1 ,...