Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports
June 1, 2026
Christopher Medina-Kirchner, Scott E Lukas
Ecstasy is commonly used on weekends and linked to post-use mood declines. Laboratory studies with pure MDMA rarely detect residual effects, whereas naturalistic studies more often report mood reductions. The timing and contextual drivers of these effects remain unclear. Data from seventeen participants reporting weekend ecstasy use (10 male, 7 female; 19-38 years) were drawn from a previously...
Journal of Psychopharmacology
2026
Jack E Henningfield, Frederick S. Barrett, Suzette M Evans et al.
This review provides an overview of Roland R. Griffiths' history of research, and his mentoring and collaborating approach to science that contributed to his impact in behavioral and neuropsychopharmacology and psychedelic medicines development. The approach was to summarize studies in his major domains of research, including preclinical and clinical abuse liability assessment science, alcohol,...
Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior
April 2023
Chun S. Zuo, Scott E Lukas
Prefrontal and striatal glutamate plays an important role in modulating striatal dopamine levels and an imbalance in regional glutamate has been identified in several psychiatric conditions. We hypothesized that this imbalance also exists in cannabis use disorder (CUD). We recently quantified the difference in glutamate of dorsal anterior cingulate (dACC) and striatum regions in the...
Frontiers in Psychiatry
2019
Jordan K Zjawiony, Antônio S Machado, Ricardo Menegatti et al.
18 citations
Over the years, pain has contributed to low life quality, poor health, and economic loss. Opioids are very effective analgesic drugs for treating mild, moderate, or severe pain. Therapeutic application of opioids has been limited by short and long-term side effects. These side effects and opioid-overuse crisis has intensified interest in the search for new molecular targets and drugs. The...
Neuropsychopharmacology
December 1, 2015
Michael S. Placzek, Genevieve C Van de Bittner, Hsiao‐ying Wey et al.
Monitoring changes in opioid receptor binding with positron emission tomography (PET) could lead to a better understanding of tolerance and addiction because altered opioid receptor dynamics following agonist exposure has been linked to tolerance mechanisms. We have studied changes in kappa opioid receptor (KOR) binding availability in vivo with PET following kappa opioid agonist...
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
August 1, 2005
David M Penetar, Elena M Kouri, Michelle M Gross et al.
Despite the fact that tobacco and marihuana are often used together, relatively little is known about the effects of this combination. In order to investigate the effects of the principal psychoactive component in tobacco smoke, nicotine, on marihuana-induced intoxication, we conducted a double blind, cross-over experiment using nicotine transdermal patches. Ten male and 10 female participants...
Harvard Review of Psychiatry
2002
Alonso Montoya, Renée Sorrentino, Scott E Lukas et al.
102 citations
The recreational drug "ecstasy" (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or MDMA) is widely used by young people throughout the world. Experimental studies indicate that MDMA damages serotonergic neurons in animals and possibly in humans. Repeated use may induce long-term neurotoxic effects, with cognitive and behavioral implications. We reviewed both the preclinical and the clinical literature to...