Involvement of NMDA glutamate receptors in the acquisition and reinstatement of the conditioned place preference induced by MDMA
María Pilar García-pardo, Carla Escobar-Valero, Marta Rodrı́guez-arias, José Miñarro, María A. Aguilar
Behavioural Pharmacology May 14, 2015 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000138 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Adolescent male mice |
| Interventions | Memantine MDMA |
| Dose | 1 or 10 mg/kg MDMA; 5 or 10 mg/kg memantine |
| Topics | Addiction MDMA |
| Keywords | Conditioned place preference Memantine Nmda receptor Extinction optical mineralogy Pharmacology Dizocilpine Glutamate receptor |
| Citations | 29 |
| Key findings | Memantine blocked both the acquisition and the priming-induced reinstatement of MDMA-induced conditioned place preference in mice. |
Abstract
Some 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) users become dependent as a result of chronic consumption. A greater understanding of the neurobiological basis of the rewarding effects of MDMA could contribute to developing effective pharmacotherapies for MDMA-related problems. The present study evaluated the role of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors (NMDARs) in the acquisition and reinstatement of conditioned place preference (CPP) induced by MDMA. Adolescent male mice were conditioned with 1 or 10 mg/kg MDMA and pretreated with 5 or 10 mg/kg of the NMDAR antagonist memantine during acquisition of conditioning (experiment 1), or before a reinstatement test (experiment 2). In addition, the effects of memantine on acquisition of chocolate-induced CPP and the effects of memantine and MDMA on a passive avoidance task were evaluated. Memantine did not exert any motivational effects, but blocked the acquisition of MDMA-induced CPP. Moreover, following acquisition and extinction of MDMA-induced CPP, memantine did not induce reinstatement but blocked reinstatement of the CPP induced by priming with MDMA. Memantine did not block the CPP induced by chocolate, and it partially reversed the impairing effects of MDMA on memory. Our results demonstrate that NMDARs are involved in acquisition of the conditioned rewarding effects of MDMA and in priming-induced reinstatement of CPP following extinction. Moreover, they suggest the validity of memantine for the treatment of MDMA abuse.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA for addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reinforcing Effects of MDMA (‘Ecstasy’) in Drug-Naive and Cocaine-Trained Rats Rats | 2001 | Experimental study | |
| Neurotoxic Effects of MDMA on Brain Serotonin Neurons: Evidence from Neurochemical and Radioligand Binding Studiesa Rats and rhesus monkeys | 1990 | Review | |
| Enhancement of conditioned place preference response to cocaine in rats following subchronic administration of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) Male Sprague-Dawley rats | 2000 | Experimental study | |
| Contribution of impulsivity and novelty-seeking to the acquisition and maintenance of MDMA self-administration Rats | 2012 | Observational cohort | |
| Profile of MDMA Self-Administration from a Large Cohort of Rats: MDMA Develops a Profile of Dependence with Extended Testing Rats | 2012 | Observational cohort | n = 128 |