MDMA and Pavlovian Fear Memory: Dose‐Effect Analysis
Madeline M. Pantoni, Stephan G Anagnostaras
The FASEB Journal April 1, 2019 DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.2019.33.1_supplement.666.6 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Hybrid C57BL/6Jx129S1/SvImJ mice |
| Intervention | MDMA |
| Dose | 0.1 to 8 mg/kg |
| Duration | One week |
| Topics | Anxiety MDMA |
| Keywords | Context archaeology Fear conditioning Mood Drug Cognition Pharmacology Adverse effect |
| Key findings | Low to moderate doses of MDMA may not produce the same cognitive deficits as high doses, supporting their therapeutic viability. |
Abstract
±3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a recreational drug that is also being pursued as a therapeutic for PTSD and other mood and anxiety disorders. Despite strong evidence of its therapeutic potential, these pursuits are hindered by evidence that MDMA produces robust neurotoxicity and cognitive deficits at high doses. These findings, however, may not generalize to typical recreational or therapeutic use of low‐dose MDMA. To date, there is little research on the cognitive effects of low/moderate doses of MDMA (less than 3 mg/kg) – the doses that users typically take. In the present study, we examined the effects of MDMA on learning and memory across a range of doses using a Pavlovian fear conditioning paradigm. Hybrid C57BL/6Jx129S1/SvImJ mice were randomly assigned to groups by MDMA dose. Mice were trained on‐drug with a single tone‐shock pairing and then tested off‐drug one week later for long‐term context and tone fear memory. We assessed the effects of doses of 0.1 to 8 mg/kg MDMA relative to vehicle control on immediate memory and long‐term contextual and cued memory. With increasing interest in therapeutic uses of MDMA, this research will help determine if low doses are therapeutically viable in terms of adverse effects on learning and memory. Support or Funding Information NIH/NIDA Grant DA020041 (Anagnostaras) This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal .
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA for anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine facilitates fear extinction learning Mice | 2015 | Preclinical experimental study | |
| Effects of acute social stress on the conditioned place preference induced by MDMA in adolescent and adult mice Adolescent (postnatal day 29-40) and adult (postnatal day 50-61) male mice | 2014 | Experimental study | |
| MDMA in Adolescent Male Rats Adolescent male rats (postnatal day 45) | 2006 | Controlled experiment | n = 12 |
| Psychedelics: A review of their effects on recalled aversive memories and fear/anxiety expression in rodents Rodents | 2024 | Review | |
| Differential behavioral outcomes of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA-ecstasy) in anxiety-like responses in mice 2-month-old Balb/c male mice (25-35 g) | 2013 | Observational study | n = 70 |