A comparative study on the acute and long‐term effects of MDMA and 3,4‐dihydroxymethamphetamine (HHMA) on brain monoamine levels after i.p. or striatal administration in mice
British Journal of Pharmacology January 1, 2005 Isabel Escobedo, Esther O’shea, Laura Orío et al. 68 citations
MDMA itself does not cause the immediate release of dopamine or serotonin in the mouse brain; instead, peripheral injection of MDMA reduced striatal dopamine and modestly reduced serotonin one hour after the last dose, but direct injection into the striatum did not produce these acute effects. The metabolite HHMA also did not contribute to acute dopamine depletion, as its effects differed from MDMA after peripheral injection. Long-term dopamine loss seven days later was not due to MDMA itself, since only very high intrastriatal doses caused such loss, and HHMA did not alter striatal dopamine after peripheral injection. HHMA crossed the blood–brain barrier but was not detected in brain after peripheral MDMA, suggesting it is metabolized to other active compounds.