Studies of MDMA-Induced Neurotoxicity in Nonhuman Primates: A Basis for Evaluating Long-Term Effects in Humans
PsycEXTRA Dataset 1989 DOI: 10.1037/e496472006-015 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Monkeys (primates) and rats |
| Topics | MDMA Serotonin |
| Keywords | Primate Neurotoxicity Pharmacology Hallucinogen |
| Citations | 46 |
| Key findings | MDMA is neurotoxic in primates at doses close to those used by humans, with monkeys more sensitive than rats and damage extending to serotonergic cell bodies. |
Abstract
The results of the studies reviewed here show that the neurotoxic effects of MDMA generalize to the primate. Further, they indicate that monkeys are considerably more sensitive than rats to the serotonin-depleting effects of MDMA, and that the dose-response curve of MDMA in the monkey is much steeper than in the rat. Perhaps as a consequence of this, the toxic effects of MDMA in the monkey involve serotonergic nerve fibers as well as cell bodies, whereas in the rat, only nerve fibers are affected. The present studies also show that the toxic dose of MDMA in the monkey (5 mg/kg) closely approaches the dose typically used by humans (1.7 to 2.7 mg/kg). This finding heightens concern that MDMA may be neurotoxic in humans, particularly since the steepness of the dose-response curve of MDMA in the primate suggests a narrow margin of safety. Finally, preclinical studies in monkeys have shown that CSF 5-HIAA can be used to detect MDMA-induced serotonergic damage in the primate CNS. Studies now underway in MDMA-exposed humans should help determine if MDMA exerts long-term toxic effects on serotonergic neurons in the human brain.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 25
- Positron emission tomographic evidence of toxic effect of MDMA (“Ecstasy”) on brain serotonin neurons in human beings The Lancet October 1, 1998
- Toward a Comparative Overview of Dependence Potential and Acute Toxicity of Psychoactive Substances Used Nonmedically The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 1993
- History and future of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 2014
- Cardiac effects of MDMA on the metabolic profile determined with 1H‐magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the rat NMR in Biomedicine November 4, 2008
- The History of MDMA June 29, 2023
and 20 more in the library