Relation of sex and estrous phase to deficits in prepulse inhibition of the startle response induced by ecstasy (MDMA)
V. Buben Kov, Martin Votava, J. Hora Ek, T. P Len Ek
Behavioural Pharmacology March 1, 2005 DOI: 10.1097/00008877-200503000-00009 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Male and female Wistar rats |
| Intervention | MDMA |
| Dose | 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg s.c. |
| Duration | 15 min after administration |
| Topics | MDMA Serotonin |
| Keywords | Prepulse inhibition Startle response Estrous cycle Moro reflex Sensory gating Endocrinology Stimulus psychology Methamphetamine Dopamine |
| Citations | 38 |
| Key findings | MDMA dose-dependently decreases prepulse inhibition in both sexes, with female rats in diestrous and metestrous phases showing greater PPI deficits than those in proestrous and estrous phases. |
Abstract
Sensorimotor gating is the ability of a weak sensory event to inhibit the motor response to an intense stimulus. Drugs that act as serotonin releasers, such as MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), impair sensorimotor gating, which is measured as a prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response. The first objective of the present study was to compare the effect of different doses of MDMA on PPI and the acoustic startle response (ASR) in male and female Wistar rats. The second objective was to examine the effect of MDMA on PPI across the estrous cycle in female rats. MDMA was administered in doses of 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg s.c. 15 min before the start of the experiment. The controls received saline in equivalent volumes. MDMA dose-dependently decreased PPI in both the male and female rats and produced higher levels of ASR in the male rats compared to the females. In addition, we found that female rats in the diestrous and metestrous phases are more sensitive to MDMA and showed higher deficits in PPI than female rats in the proestrous and estrous phases. Our result showed that female rats in the proestrous and estrous phases were less sensitive to the disruption of PPI by MDMA.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 15
- Sex differences and serotonergic mechanisms in the behavioural effects of psilocin Behavioural Pharmacology October 13, 2015
- Pharmacokinetic, Ambulatory, and Hyperthermic Effects of 3,4-Methylenedioxy-N-Methylcathinone (Methylone) in Rats Frontiers in Psychiatry November 17, 2017
- Mescaline effects on rat behavior and its time profile in serum and brain tissue after a single subcutaneous dose Psychopharmacology October 6, 2007
- A developmental comparison of the neurobehavioral effects of ecstasy (MDMA) Neurotoxicology and Teratology October 21, 2006
- Behavioral, neurochemical and pharmaco-EEG profiles of the psychedelic drug 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B) in rats. Psychopharmacology 2013
and 10 more in the library
Cites 3
- Agony and ecstasy: a review of MDMA effects and toxicity European Psychiatry August 1, 2000
- Multiple molecular and neuropharmacological effects of MDMA (Ecstasy). Life Sciences January 2, 2004
- The pharmacology and clinical pharmacology of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy"). Pharmacological Reviews September 2003