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Monique L. Smith

2 papers in the library · 37 citations · publishing 2024-2026

Papers

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Empathic Behavioral Substrates Altered by MDMA and Their Therapeutic Consequences

January 30, 2026 Makaela Weeda, Valeria Gazzola, Christian Keysers et al. preprint

Besides its widespread recreational use, MDMA attracted the attention of many researchers and clinicians for its therapeutic potential for various mental disorders. Although recent clinical studies yielded promising results, MDMA has not been approved for medical use, partially due to the lack of clear insight into its neurobiological effects. In fact, although some suggest that MDMA’s...

MDMA enhances empathy-like behaviors in mice via 5-HT release in the nucleus accumbens.

Science Advances April 26, 2024 Ben Rein, Kendall Raymond, Cali Boustani et al. 37 citations

MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a psychoactive drug with powerful prosocial effects. While MDMA is sometimes termed an "empathogen," empirical studies have struggled to clearly demonstrate these effects or pinpoint underlying mechanisms. Here, we paired the social transfer of pain and analgesia-behavioral tests modeling empathy in mice-with region-specific neuropharmacology,...